Skin Cancer Management: A Practical Approach

The editor of Skin Cancer Management: A Practical Approach, Dr. Deborah MacFarlane, gathers experts in selected techniques related to the assessment and management of skin cancer and has them critically review the existing literature in light of their considerable experience delivering care. The authors make recommendations for the best way to perform procedures. The tables provided in each chapter then become a manual of how to perform these procedures, and may in time be adopted by the wider universe of dermatologists as the standard of performance. The detailed descriptions of technique and treatment pearls lead the novice through the sequence of events in a way that instills confidence in their ability to safely perform the procedure. An example of the painstaking expla- tions is found in Chapter 5, Intralesional and Perilesional Treatment of Skin Cancers. The reader is advised to place eye protection on the patient and those performing the injection of methotrexate into a keratoacanthoma with a central crust. Rest assured that there will be a spray or stream of methotrexate emitted from the crusted area. Having eye protection will prevent methotrexate from accidentally getting into someone’s eye. Since we all learn to assimilate new information by taking action on the recommendations that we read, it would be a good idea for the physician to create, where relevant, a checklist for each procedure in the text. The checklist can be given to the office staff to set up the equipment for the procedure.

Deborah MacFarlane is an Associate Professor in the Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Departments at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.