Skin Cancer Epidemiology, Detection, and Management

Although the signs and symptoms of the 3 most common skin malignancies are well known to physicians, any new or changing lesions should be monitored and worked up to rule out varying forms of cutaneous malignancy. Classic presenting features of each condition exist, but patients may present with overlapping or atypical features, and a biopsy is almost always required to definitively determine the true nature of each disorder. Given the intense psychosocial ramifications of skin cancer diagnosis and treatment, early detection remains the hallmark in producing favorable outcomes.