14 November 2011
Skin Cancer Prevalence, Diagnosis and Treatment focus of regional conference
Skin Cancer is the topic at the annual Department of General Surgery Education Day on Friday 11th November 2011. This
conference coincides with ‘SunSmart week’ which begins national-wide from November 13th to the 19th.
Local Surgeons, GPs, Registrars (surgeons in training) and nurse practitioners, met at Barge Park in Whangarei to hear
of series of talks about skin cancer. A highlight was keynote speaker, Mr John Kenealy, Head of Plastic Surgery at
Middlemore Hospital. The aim of the day was to update clinicians about the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of skin
cancer in our community.
Many hundreds of patients with skin cancer are referred to Northland DHB for surgery each year. In February, Northland
DHB committed to a Skin Cancer Project, whereby a small number of referred patients will have their skin surgery done by
one of five Northland GPs.
These GPs (called GPSIs: GPs with Special Interest) have expertise in skin cancer surgery. This allows some Northland
patients from outside Whangarei to have their surgery closer to home – for example in Kerikeri. The lead Clinician for
this project, General Surgeon Dr Vanessa Blair, presented the progress to date with this initiative, which is being
prospectively audited to monitor outcomes and thus direct further training initiatives.
Dr Blair commented that New Zealand and Australia have the highest rates of Melanoma in the world, and Northland has one
of the highest rates in NZ – no doubt due to all the sunshine in the glorious north! While Melanoma is much rarer in
Maori – recent evidence show rates appear to be increasing and Maori patients with melanoma more often present with more
advanced melanomas – perhaps because awareness is not high among the Maori communities.
The Northern Cancer Society and Melanoma Foundation provide very useful resources and support for community education
during SunSmart week and year round. These community events aim to highlight the need to take special care with sun
protections over the coming summer months, and throughout the year.
ENDS