1 in 5 Will Develop Skin Cancer: Early Detection & Prevention Key

One in five people will develop some form of skin cancer in their lifetime, according to healthcare professionals who participated in the 4th Dermato-Oncology Course for R3 Residents, organized by the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) and its Healthy Skin Foundation, and the Spanish Group of Dermato-Oncology Surgery (GEDOC).

Against a backdrop of increasing skin cancer cases in recent years, the importance of earlier diagnosis, the development of new therapies for advanced stages to improve survival and quality of life for patients, and awareness in skin cancer prevention have been emphasized.

Javier Torres Marcos, a third-year resident (R3) at the University Hospital of Guadalajara and National Representative of Residents of the AEDV, explained that “the sun is one of the main factors involved and a preventable one, from childhood and at all ages.” He also clarified that “self-examination and going to the dermatologist are vital preventive measures.”

Timely detection and analysis of suspicious lesions allow physicians to identify skin changes in their early stages, even before symptoms appear, which is crucial for “effective management of skin cancer.” In fact, most skin cancers are curable with simple and minimally invasive treatments if diagnosed promptly.

The meeting, which was supported by Pierre Fabre laboratories and its Avène brand, highlighted the importance of seeing a dermatologist when symptoms such as the appearance of new lesions, changes in pre-existing moles, wounds that do not heal, and lesions that bleed, itch, or hurt manifest.

One of the scientific coordinators of the Course, Dr. Javier Cañueto, along with Drs. Susana Puig Sardá and Josep Malvehy Guilera, detailed that when diagnosis is delayed, some tumors, such as melanoma or certain carcinomas, “can grow, invade deep tissues, or even produce metastases.”

To combat the increasing incidence, they emphasize the importance of skin ‘screening,’ which allows for the detection of “suspicious lesions in early stages,” before symptoms occur. With this tool, the dermatologist can perform a complete skin examination, supported by dermatoscopy and digital follow-up in at-risk patients. In this process, multidisciplinary teams are “essential” to “design personalized therapeutic strategies, optimize results, and improve the patient’s quality of life.”

This cancer can appear at any age, but is more common in people over 60 years of age and more frequently affects people with fair skin, with a history of intense or cumulative sun exposure, and with personal or family history of skin cancer.

Cañueto explained that this disease is more frequent in men, although the incidence in women “has increased in recent decades, especially in young women due to greater sun exposure.” the aging population has contributed to the increase in cases.

UPDATE KNOWLEDGE

Torres Marcos also stressed the importance of healthcare professionals “constantly updating their knowledge” given “the large amount of information currently being generated.” All of this is to offer higher quality care to patients and more appropriate treatments in consultations.

The president of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV), Yolanda Gilaberte, considered it fundamental that medical residents consolidate their knowledge in prevention, early diagnosis, staging, and treatment “from a practical and multidisciplinary vision.”

Medical advisor at Pierre Fabre laboratories, Gabriela Gómez Ahumada, emphasized that the training of residents is a fundamental pillar to “guarantee excellence in dermatology, especially in areas as sensitive as oncological dermatology.”

This new edition highlighted the importance of incorporating knowledge that reinforces the quality of the course’s training and updating in the epidemiology of skin cancer and primary prevention strategies promoted by the AEDV and EuroMM, deepening in Mohs surgery and non-surgical local treatments, as well as advances in staging and biomarkers in melanoma.

Gómez Ahumada clarified that scientific advancement is only materialized “when it reaches clinical practice,” so these meetings allow knowledge to generate a real impact on the quality of care patients receive. The expert highlighted the latest innovations that have occurred in the field of oncological dermatology, including the refinement of non-invasive diagnostic techniques, such as advanced digital dermatoscopy, confocal microscopy, or artificial intelligence applied to the early detection of suspicious lesions, and new therapeutic strategies, which “have significantly improved the prognosis of melanoma and other skin tumors.”

Regarding technological advances, Cañueto indicated that digital dermatoscopy, 3D video dermatoscopy systems, confocal microscopy, or LC-OCT will be key in the future. Artificial intelligence is being implemented in clinical practice and molecular studies will help to more precisely select patients at higher risk or who may benefit from a specific treatment in the future.