# Skin Cancer - Category: chronic - Review status: reviewed (every claim checked against a document named on this page) - Sources: Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma: Guideline-Based Management and Interprofessional Collaboration - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK572149/ · ICPC-3 (WONCA International Classification of Primary Care, 3rd edition) class SD25 - condition scope only, no dose · No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care - Verified date: 2026-08 ## Verified against - No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care ## Treatment metadata - No drug therapy in primary care (Referral & Advice) ## Complete treatment card ```text SKIN CANCER Sources: Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma: Guideline-Based Management and Interprofessional Collaboration - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK572149/ · ICPC-3 (WONCA International Classification of Primary Care, 3rd edition) class SD25 - condition scope only, no dose · No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care Review status: REVIEWED against the source listed above (2026-08) IS IT THIS? - reference only, to read alongside your own examination SYMPTOMS - what the patient reports (2) - Itching, bleeding, pain, or irritation in a skin lesion should prompt closer evaluation [bleeding · itching · skin lesions] - A mole that looks different from a person's other moles, or one that is new or changing, should be treated as suspicious SIGNS - what you find (6) - A rough, gritty bump on a red base is the typical look of a precancerous sun-damage lesion - A pink, pearly bump with visible small blood vessels is the classic look of the most common skin cancer - A pink, rough bump, patch, or plaque is the typical look of squamous cell skin cancer [plaques] - A brown-to-black lesion with an uneven shape, ragged border, mixed coloring, and a size over 6 mm is typical of melanoma - Basal and squamous cell cancers typically appear on sun-exposed facial skin such as the nose or ears - Melanoma tends to occur on the back and shoulders in men and on the lower legs in women TESTS (5) - A shave or punch skin biopsy is the standard first step for most suspicious lesions - Complete surgical removal, rather than a shave or punch sample, is recommended when melanoma is suspected - A deep incisional biopsy is needed for dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans rather than a superficial sample - Imaging may be needed to check whether a squamous cell cancer has grown into nearby bone - An HIV test should be obtained when Kaposi sarcoma is suspected IF NOT THIS - what else fits (5) - Psoriasis is among the common skin conditions that must be told apart from true skin cancer - A fungal skin infection such as tinea can be mistaken for a cancerous lesion - A wart can resemble a cancerous skin growth - Cancer that has spread to the skin from another organ is on the differential for a skin lesion - An atypical but benign mole must be distinguished from an actual skin cancer Source StatPearls "Skin Cancer" - disease-level clinical article Status traced to the source above 1. NO DRUG THERAPY IN PRIMARY CARE (REFERRAL & ADVICE) [1st line] Adult Umbrella category for malignant skin tumours including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma; the GP's role is recognising a suspicious lesion and referring for biopsy/excision, since treatment is surgical or oncological rather than pharmacologic in primary care. - Refer, with advice Peds Children follow the same pathway: recognise and refer. No primary-care medicine is implied. Source No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care Why Umbrella category for malignant skin tumours including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma; the GP's role is recognising a suspicious lesion and referring for biopsy/excision, since treatment is surgical or oncological rather than pharmacologic in primary care. Caution No medicine is prescribed for this in primary care - this entry is for recognition and referral. Anything given is decided by the service it is referred to. RED FLAG - A lesion suspicious for melanoma calls for prompt full-body evaluation, not a routine-pace referral like other suspicious lesions. RED FLAG - A changing, bleeding, or non-healing skin lesion, or an asymmetric, irregular-bordered, multi-coloured, or enlarging pigmented lesion, which may be melanoma and needs urgent referral. Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy. ``` --- Dawaa Reference is a reference for prescribers, not a medical device, and does not replace clinical judgement. [Privacy policy](/privacy)