Skin procedures in general practice

Most skin cancers diagnosed in Australia, including melanomas, are identified and managed in a primary care setting. Most skin cancers have the diagnosis confirmed by histopathology, and surgical excision is the most common form of treatment. Therefore, it is important that all primary care doctors in Australia are competent and confident in the diagnostic sampling and surgical management of skin cancers.

This article considers the process of performing biopsies and excisions from the skin to diagnose or treat skin cancers.

Primary care is the appropriate setting for the management of most skin cancers in Australia. Small simple lesions can be sampled for diagnosis and excised as definitive treatment of the tumour. This can be simpler, cheaper and more efficient for the patient compared to the hospital setting, allows the resources of speciality care to be used for more difficult scenarios and be quite a satisfying part of providing primary care.