Diagnosing skin cancer in primary care: how do main-stream general practitioners compare with primary care  skin cancer clinic doctors?

Keir, Jeffrey

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2008.tb01545.x

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To the Editor: Youl and colleagues are to be commended for their research into the performance of special-interest skin cancer clinicians.1 However, the conclusion that the performance of general practitioners and skin cancer doctors in the diagnosis of skin cancer is similar is highly questionable.

Northern Rivers Skin Cancer Clinic, Ballina, NSW.

Correspondence: nrsccweb@ceinternet.com.au

1. Youl PH, Baade PD, Janda M, et al. Diagnosing skin cancer in primary care: how do mainstream general practitioners compare with primary care skin cancer clinic doctors? Med J Aust 2007; 187: 215-220. <MJA full text>
2. Staples MP, Elwood M, Burton RC, et al. Non-melanoma skin cancer in Australia: the 2002 national survey and trends since 1985. Med J Aust 2006; 184: 6-10. <MJA full text>
3. Wilkinson D, Bourne P, Dixon A, Kitchener S. Skin cancer medicine in primary care: towards an agenda for quality health outcomes. Med J Aust 2006; 184: 11-12. <MJA full text>
4. Skin Cancer Society of Australia [website]. http://www.skincancersociety.com.au (accessed Oct 2007).
5. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. College fax 30 March 2007. http://www.racgp.org.au/Content/NavigationMenu/News/FridayFax/Fridayfax_20070330.htm (accessed Oct 2007).
6. Anastasopoulos C. Skin cancer clinics put to the test. Aust Doctor 2006; 23 Mar. http://www.australiandoctor.com.au/news/d5/0c03e1d5.asp (accessed Nov 2007).

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