Skin Cancer
Skin cancers are usually caused by cumulative effects of sun exposure over your lifetime, although there may be some genetic predisposition in some patients. They are relatively common forms of cancer, especially as we age and in people with lighter skin tones. The vast majority of skin cancers can be treated surgically without needing any other forms of treatment, especially if removed early.
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Dr Lowe is an expert in skin cancer diagnosis and surgical excision, as well as reconstruction options following excision. Within his NHS practice alone, he treats almost a thousand skin cancers each year.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
The most common form of skin cancer is called a basal cell carcinoma, or BCC, and accounts for 75% of skin cancers in Scotland. Some people refer to these tumours as ‘rodent ulcers’. They are relatively harmless, slow-growing (over months to years), and rarely a threat to life. They can, however, look unpleasant, can ulcerate or bleed, or form a thick crust. There are a few subtypes, and most would benefit from surgical removal, which is usually straightforward. Following removal, no further treatment or clinical follow-up is usually required.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinomas, or SCC, are another form of non-melanoma skin cancer. They tend to grow more quickly than BCCs, over weeks to months, are more likely to ulcerate and often produce a crust. SCCs should always be removed promptly, and doing so will reduce the risk of needing further treatment. The vast majority of SCCs can be treated with a single surgical operation, but you may be offered a period of clinical follow-up, depending on the pathological findings. Occasionally, further treatment is required, in the form of further surgery, or treatment with an oncologist, such as radiotherapy or systemic anti-cancer medication.
Melanoma
Melanoma is a potentially very serious skin cancer, but it is thankfully much less common, accounting for about 5% of new skin cancer diagnoses. It can occur anywhere on the body, but is more common in sun-exposed areas. An early melanoma usually appears as an odd-looking freckle or mole, and may itch or bleed. If removed in the early stages, melanoma is rarely life-threatening, meaning it is important to have any suspicious moles on your skin reviewed as soon as possible, especially any lesion that changes in size, shape or colour, or looks very different to your other moles.
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Melanoma is diagnosed with an excision biopsy (mole removal), usually then followed by a second operation to remove a bit more skin from around the scar. For early-stage melanomas, this is usually all that is required. For more advanced melanomas, you may benefit from a biopsy of your lymph nodes, and possibly a body scan to exclude any spread (metastasis). If metastatic spread is found, then systemic treatment with an oncologist may be recommended.