Suspected skin cancer

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust

Definition/Description

Suspected skin cancer

Red Flag Symptoms

  • Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)

    • Some cases of SCC occur de novo (i.e., in the absence of a precursor lesion); however, some arise from sun-induced precancerous lesions known as actinic keratoses. Patients with multiple actinic keratoses are at increased risk for developing SCC.
    • SCC is capable of locally infiltrative growth, spread to regional lymph nodes, and distant metastasis, most often to the lungs.

  • Malignant melanoma of the skin

  • Basal cell carcinoma

Guidelines on Management

None provided

Referral Criteria/Information

Refer as USC if has:

  • Skin lesion that raises the suspicion of squamous cell carcinoma
  • Malignant melanoma of the skin which is a:
    • Pigmented or non-pigmented skin lesion that suggests nodular melanoma
    • Suspicious pigmented skin lesion WITH a weighted 7 point checklist score of 3 or more: 

Weighted 7 point checklist:

Major features of the lesions (scoring 2 points each):

  • change in size
  • irregular shape
  • irregular colour

Minor features of the lesions (scoring 1 point each):

  • largest diameter 7 mm or more
  • inflammation
  • oozing
  • change in sensation

Basal cell carcinoma

A skin lesion that raises the suspicion of a basal cell carcinoma refer on choose and book as ‘BCC’.

Patient seen at HDFT within 6 weeks

Refer patient for biopsy if:

Has cutaneous ulcer (including leg ulcer) that is failing to reduce in size after 3 months appropriate treatment or any ulcer that has not healed after 9 months

Refer as non-USC if:

Confirmed benign lesion

Associated Policies

There are no associated policies.

Specialties

Dermatology North Yorkshire Urgent Suspected Cancer North Yorkshire

Places covered by

  • North Yorkshire

Hospital Trusts

  • Harrogate and District