Skin cancer

You may be referred for treatment of a skin tumour by your family doctor or a dermatologist. In planning the management of skin cancer we work closely with dermatologists, fellow surgeons, radiotherapists and oncologists. Treatment is often coordinated through multi-disciplinary team meetings.

The three common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), malignant melanoma (MN) and are treated surgically by excision with closure of the wound directly, a skin grafting or a variety of flap techniques.

Moles, cysts, tags, scars and minor skin lesions are removed under local anaesthesia in the outpatient operating room. For non facial wounds the wound is usually closed with an absorbable buried suture. If sutures are used, particularly in the face, these are removed at five to seven days.