Skin Cancer Diagnostic clinics
Patients suspected to have cancer are referred via their GPs onto the 2WW (2 Week Wait) pathway and will be seen within 14 days of the referral being received. The clinics are led by either a dermatologist or a consultant plastic surgeon who will assess the lesion and discuss treatment, if it is required.
Teledermatology
An assessment of lesions via image/photograph; these are sent to the skin specialist team for advice regarding diagnosis or management. It is a way for GPs to get an opinion from a skin specialist without having to refer patients through the normal referral pathway.
Specialist Skin Cancer clinics
These are held for transplant patients and skin cancer.
Day Case Surgery
This is a clinical event where a patient is admitted for surgery and is discharged on the same day.
Electro-chemotherapy (ECT)
Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. Electrochemotherapy uses chemotherapy and a small electrical current to treat cancer cells.
The doctor injects a low dose of chemotherapy into the tumour or a vein (intravenously).
After this they put a probe (electrode) directly over the tumour to give an electrical pulse. The pulse changes the outside layer of the cells. This is called electroporation. It helps the chemotherapy get into the cancer cells and destroy them.
Electrochemotherapy is sometimes used to treat cancer that has spread to an area of skin, including advanced melanoma.
This treatment can help to control symptoms such as bleeding, ulcers or pain. Some people will have the treatment more than once.
Electrochemotherapy is a specialised treatment and is not available at all hospitals. Your cancer doctor or nurse can explain more about your area.
Complex reconstructive surgery and lymph node dissections for metastatic disease to the lymph-nodes
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB) Service For Malignant Melanoma and Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Mohs micrographic surgery
Skin Cancer Specialist Nursing team
Skin Cancer Nurse Specialists (CNSs) are experienced nurses who give advice and support to people living with cancer.
Laser treatments
Radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments for skin cancer