ABSTRACT
Clinical diagnosis of melanoma can be difficult. A review of the accuracy of clinical diagnosis of melanoma, over a 12 month period, was undertaken at the Skin and Cancer Foundation Australia. The overall accuracy rate was 65.6% with seborrhoeic keratosis, melanocytic naevi and basal cell carcinoma the most common clinical misdiagnoses given to melanoma. Specialist doctors with more than 10 years experience had a higher rate of correct diagnosis than trainee doctors with 0-5 years experience.
Subject(s)
Melanoma/diagnosis , Skin Neoplasms/diagnosis , Australia , Clinical Competence , Diagnosis, Differential , Humans , Skin Diseases/diagnosisABSTRACT
Ionizing radiation was recognized very early after its discovery as a useful weapon against both neoplasia and inflammation. Following an initial period of enthusiastic use, recognition of its drawbacks and the development of safe and effective alternative treatments for many applications have resulted in a marked reduction in the use of radiotherapy in most dermatological offices. Nonetheless, this modality remains an important component of our modern therapeutic armamentarium. It is a treatment of choice in some situations, and a useful alternative in many more. A thorough understanding of the principles and practice of safe radiotherapy remains vital to the full practice of dermatology in 1996. The present review summarizes the current practice of radiotherapy and offers some guidelines for safe and effective use of this important tool. Detailed discussions of radiobiology, deep radiotherapy (DXRT) and electron beam (EB) therapy are beyond the scope of this clinical review.
