Malignant Skin Lesions

Abstract

December 2006

Section 3 Breast, Skin, and Soft Tissue

4 Malignant Skin Lesions

Jennifer A. Wargo, M.D.
Instructor in Surgery, Harvard Medical School

Kenneth Tanabe, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Associate Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School

Clinical assessment and management of skin lesions can be challenging, in that the natural history and prognosis of these conditions are highly variable. Surgeons play a pivotal role in the treatment of skin lesions, though initial evaluation is often performed by other clinicians. Malignant skin lesions have become increasingly prevalent over the past several years. In the United States, approximately 1.2 million cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer and as many as 80,000 cases of melanoma are diagnosed annually. Given the increasing prevalence of skin cancers, it is critical that surgeons be well informed about the recognition, workup, and management of these conditions. Accordingly, the authors address evaluation and management of malignant skin lesions in detail. This chapter contains 85 references.

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