Treatment of basal cell carcinomas by general practitioners in Australia

Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) are a relatively common form of skin damage in Australians, involving approximately 1 in 200 general practice encounters per year.

To determine current treatments and the associated healthcare resource costs of BCC therapy in Australia.

A retrospective survey was undertaken relating to the treatment of patients presenting to their doctor with previously untreated BCCs. Data were collected from a sample of general practitioners who were asked to randomly select two BCC patients from their medical records and complete a questionnaire. Information about treatment types, number of doctor visits, treatment complications, and specialist referrals was extracted from the patient records.

One hundred and sixty-four patients were recruited into the study (59% male), who were treated for a total of 244 BCCs (average of 1.5 lesions per patient). Twenty-two per cent of patients were referred to a specialist, most being referred to a general surgeon (45%) or plastic surgeon (25%). Excision was the preferred therapy; second choices were cryosurgery or curettage and cautery. Few adverse events were recorded. The typical number of doctor visits varied from 3.2 to 7.4, with a range of total cost per patient of 146.60-496.20 AUS dollars, depending on complexity and the need for referral.

With a reported incidence in Australia of approximately 788 per 100,000 persons, BCCs are not inexpensive to treat for such a relatively common condition.