Orbit Skin Cancer Clinic
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Skin Checks
Skin cancer accounts for the largest number of cancers diagnosed in Australia each year.
In 2016, an estimated 13,280 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in Australia, and 1,770 people will die from this disease. The age-standardised incidence rate of melanoma has increased from 27 cases per 100,000 in 1982 to 49 per 100,000 in 2016. However, for people aged less than 40 the incidence rate has dropped from a peak of 13 cases per 100,000 in 2002 to an estimated 9.4 per 100,000 in 2016. Between 1982 and 2016, the age-standardised mortality rate has risen from 4.7 deaths per 100,000 to an estimated 6.2 deaths per 100,000. Source: Australian Institute of Health & Welfare
In 2016, an estimated 13,280 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in Australia, and 1,770 people will die from this disease. The age-standardised incidence rate of melanoma has increased from 27 cases per 100,000 in 1982 to 49 per 100,000 in 2016. However, for people aged less than 40 the incidence rate has dropped from a peak of 13 cases per 100,000 in 2002 to an estimated 9.4 per 100,000 in 2016. Between 1982 and 2016, the age-standardised mortality rate has risen from 4.7 deaths per 100,000 to an estimated 6.2 deaths per 100,000. Source: Australian Institute of Health & Welfare
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Skin Biopsy
A skin biopsy may be deemed necessary as part of the diagnostic process. The additional information obtained from the biopsy can help identify diagnostic clues that are invisible to the naked eye.
A skin biopsy is used to diagnose or help treat skin conditions and diseases, including:
Actinic keratosisBullous pemphigoid and other blistering skin disordersInflammatory skin conditionsSkin cancers, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanomaSkin infection, occasionallySkin tagsSuspicious moles or other growthsWarts
A skin biopsy is used to diagnose or help treat skin conditions and diseases, including:
Actinic keratosisBullous pemphigoid and other blistering skin disordersInflammatory skin conditionsSkin cancers, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanomaSkin infection, occasionallySkin tagsSuspicious moles or other growthsWarts
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Skin Excisions
- Excision is performed to:
- Remove—and usually cure—skin cancers.
- Remove suspicious-looking spots so that they can be tested.
- A doctor would recommend excision if:
- He or she is confident that a lesion is a skin cancer and must be entirely removed to properly treat it
- A spot looks like it could be a skin cancer and it needs to be tested to reach a diagnosis.
- Sometimes, the doctor might choose to remove only part of the lesion, performing a punch or shave biopsy—usually if the lesion looks like one of the less serious skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy, sometimes known as cold therapy, is the local or general use of low temperatures in medical therapy.
Cryotherapy may be used to treat a variety of tissue lesions.
The most prominent use of the term refers to the surgical treatment, specifically known as cryosurgery or cryoablation.
Cryosurgery is the application of extremely low temperatures to destroy abnormal or diseased tissue and is used most commonly to treat skin conditions.
Cryotherapy uses imaging guidance, a needle-like applicator called a cryoprobe, and liquid nitrogen or argon gas. The treatment creates intense cold to freeze and destroy diseased tissue, including cancer cells.