[Malignant skin tumours in a private dermatology practice. A quality control study].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The campaign for early detection of malignant melanoma and the increase in people with photodamaged skin have a remarkable influence on the daily dermatological routine. Could these factors lead to the introduction of quality control in a private dermatology practice?

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Over a period of one year the diagnoses of all patients were registered. The clinical diagnosis of any skin tumour undergoing surgical removal was compared with the final histopathological diagnosis.

RESULTS

56% of 3004 diagnoses involved females; 44%, males. In 40.5%, the possibility of a pigmented or non-pigmented skin tumour was raised. 49% of the 291 tumours removed were malignant (107 basal cell carcinoma, 20 squamous cell carcinoma, 16 melanoma) while 11.7% were malignant precursor lesions. 48% of 44 melanocytic naevi with clinical atypia showed histopathological dysplasia but none were a malignant melanoma. No cancers were detected among 59 clinically benign tumors. In 71.8% of cases, the clinical diagnosis agreed with the result of the histopathological examination.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows, in concordance with literature, that a dermatologist can provide high quality treatment and prophylaxis of malignant skin tumours. With an optimal cost-performance ratio, he or she is the most competent partner for patients and health insurance companies.