The first paper of this topic explored skin cancer recognition, patient education and sun safety. The second part focused on practical guidance for aesthetic nurses, should a patient present with a suspicious skin lesion. The author maintains that aesthetic nurses are well placed for patients to raise concerns about the appearance of a skin lesion. National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE) (2015) guidelines are referenced throughout, emphasising that all skin lesions which raise suspicious concern should be referred to a consultant dermatologist or plastic surgeon, privately or through the patient’s GP. The author emphasises the importance of aesthetic nurses to be aware of the updated NICE (2010) suspected skin cancer referral pathway and to follow accordingly. The author provides a clinical overview and concise recommendations for specialist referral pathways for malignant melanoma, (including weighted seven-point checklist), squamous cell carcinoma, high and low-risk basal cell carcinomas and actinic keratosis, as well as current recommended treatment options for low-risk skin cancers.
Treatment of low-risk basal cell carcinoma and actinic
Reviewed by Anna Baker
Skin cancer part 2: treatment of low-risk basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis.
