The rising incidence of skin cancer in Australia is directly related to our outdoor lifestyle and our increased exposure to the sun in pursuit of a "healthy tan", which is very much driven by the fashion industry. As a result 90% of skin cancers occur in the sun-exposed areas of the body, however, other causes include trauma, burn scars, chronic leg ulcers and previous exposure to radiotherapy. Skin cancer can also appear in individuals who are immuno-suppressed and rare, but possible, through exposure to various types of chemicals.
It is imperative for patients to be vigilant and aware of any new lumps or bumps of the skin and have them examined, as skin cancers do not produce symptoms. Skin cancers can be a serious problem and therefore, should be dealt with in the correct manner by doctors who are sufficiently trained in diagnosis, pathology and understand how tumours behave and know how to treat them. Dr Edinburg is a Skin Cancer Surgeon, so you can be assured and confident that a specialist will treat you in the most expert manner.
At the time of the consultation, a palpation of the skin cancer and the lymph nodes in the area adjacent to the skin cancer is examined, followed by a discussion on the diagnosis outcome of the lesion. If this were not possible at the time, a biopsy would be advised. It is important to accurately diagnose the type of skin cancer that is present, as there are various treatments available for different types of skin cancers. If surgery is appropriate to treat this lesion, most can be managed at the Eden Institute of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery under local anaesthesia or sedation. Other forms of treatment may include liquid nitrogen, various creams and radiotherapy. Often the surgical excision of the tumour will require reconstruction either with flaps or skin grafts, which will be explained to you if required. Other benign lesions such as moles can also be removed for cosmetic or other reasons.