Skin Cancer & Melanoma Services

Home Skin Conditions Skin Cancer & Melanoma Services

The main cause of skin cancer is cumulative exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun. It is therefore not surprising that skin cancer is Australia’s most common form of cancer, mostly due to our love of the outdoors and the weather our country is exposed to.

There are two main categories of skin cancer:

Melanoma – is a cancerous growth of the pigment cells residing in the skin. These aggressive cancers can spread locally, or to other parts of the body.
Non-melanoma skin cancers – this broad group of tumors encompass the many other types of cancerous growths that can develop from other components of the skin. The commonest types include the squamous and basal cell carcinomas.

The commonest two types of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers are:

Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): This is the most common form of skin cancer.
– They can be slow to grow (or just be an area that is slow to heal completely)
– Mainly found on sun-exposed areas, such as the face, chest or limbs.
– Affected areas can appear as a scaly patch, a bleeding spot, a lump or an ulcer.
– Colour is commonly red, pale or pearly.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC): This skin cancer develop in areas of sun-damage, and if untreated, can potentially spread to other parts of the body
– Grows rapidly
– Can be painful
– Appears on areas most affected from sun exposure
– Can appear as a thick, red, scaly spot or lump
– May bleed easily, crust or ulcerate

Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer. The majority of melanoma are coloured, but a small number of melanoma’s do not show any colour.

The risk of melanoma is increased with:

Unprotected sun exposure
Increased numbers of unusual moles (dysplastic naevi)
Depressed immune systems
Family history of melanoma in a first degree relative
Fair skin, a tendency to burn rather than tan, freckles, light eye colour, light or red hair colour
Had a previous melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer.

Early detection is vital to stop the melanoma spreading. In between Dermatologist appointments its therefore good to get into the habit of checking yourself thoroughly. It is important to know that melanoma can occur on parts of the body that are rarely exposed to the sun eg. soles of the feet.
The ABCDE method can be used to look for Melanomas:

A= Asymmetry, spots that are asymmetrical or regular in shape
B= Border, spots with uneven borders
C= Colour, spots with an unusual or uneven colour
D= Diameter, spots that are larger than 6 mm
E = Evolving features such as itch, pain, bleeding

Although the ABCDE method is a useful basic form of detection, there are some variants of melanoma that do not fit the typical pattern of behavior. For example, nodular melanomas are raised from the start and even in colour, and amelanotic melanoma’s may not have any colour at all.

Our Dermatologists are highly trained experts in the early detection and treatment of both Melanoma and Non Melanoma Skin Cancers. Once our Doctors have made a diagnosis they can prepare a treatment plan best suited to your specific needs and requirements.

Treatment for Skin Cancer can include topical treatment, Cryotherapy, Photodynamic Therapy, Curettage, Surgical Excisions, Serial Staged Excision, Laser Surgery or Mohs Surgery.

Please find below an informative video about the process of Mohs procedure, for more information on Mohs procedures please visit the ACMS website.

To arrange an appointment to see one of our Dermatologists, please send through a referral from your GP.