Skin cancer explained
Although it is not part of community pharmacy’s remit to diagnose skin cancer, community pharmacy is often the first port of call when someone finds a suspicious lesion on their skin. It is then up to the pharmacist to advise on the best course of action. In 2012, around 2,200 people died from skin cancer in the UK.
There is a spectrum of skin cancer ranging from malignant melanoma (the most dangerous) to precancerous actinic keratoses. Note: Nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) is a group including squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and the precancerous actinic keratoses (AKs). Table 1 summarises the features of the common skin cancers.
