The summer skin check

Skin cancer is a major public health problem in Australia and represents a substantial health cost. General practitioners provide the majority of care to patients with skin cancer, so becoming familiar with the clinical features and management of these tumours is important.

To provide a pictorial essay on the common types of benign and malignant skin lesions encountered in general practice, and briefly describe key clinical features, differential diagnosis and management options.

Examination for skin cancer should be considered in the general practice setting for all patients over the age of 40 years, particularly the elderly. A proper skin check requires a systematic approach and ideally an entire consultation should be set aside for this purpose. However, clinical examination conducted for other purposes provides an opportunity for screening and early detection of skin cancer.