Skin Cancer Checks: Why Early Detection Matters

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, with two in three Australians diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70. Across regional Victoria and the Murray River border, outdoor living, farming, sporting activities, and intense UV exposure make regular skin surveillance an indispensable part of healthcare.

The reassuring truth is that when detected early, the vast majority of skin cancers — including dangerous melanomas — can be completely cured with simple, minor outpatient procedures. Understanding what to look for and committing to regular professional skin assessments is the single most effective way to safeguard your health.

"Early detection is the cornerstone of skin cancer survival. A comprehensive dermoscopic examination takes less than 30 minutes, yet it can identify changes beneath the surface of your skin long before they become visible to the untrained eye."

The ABCDE Rule: What to Watch For

Between your regular checkups, performing monthly self-examinations helps you stay aware of new or changing lesions. Skin cancer specialists recommend using the well-established ABCDE clinical guidelines:

• A — Asymmetry: One half of the spot, mole, or lesion does not match the shape of the other half.
• B — Border: The edges are irregular, scalloped, jagged, notched, or poorly defined rather than smooth.
• C — Colour: The color is uneven, displaying multiple shades of tan, brown, black, red, white, or blue within the same lesion.
• D — Diameter: The spot is larger than 6mm (roughly the size of a pencil eraser), though early melanomas can be smaller.
• E — Evolving: Any mole or spot that is changing in size, shape, colour, elevation, or starting to itch, crust, or bleed.

What Happens During a Professional Skin Check at Elmwood?

At Elmwood Medical Centre, our dedicated Skin Cancer Clinic offers thorough head-to-toe skin assessments conducted by experienced general practitioners, including Dr Neetu Grover, who have extensive post-graduate qualifications in dermoscopy and skin cancer management.

During your examination, we use high-magnification dermatoscopes with cross-polarised lighting to inspect the microscopic pigment structures below the epidermal surface. This allows us to differentiate between benign lesions (such as seborrhoeic keratoses or ordinary moles) and malignant conditions (such as Basal Cell Carcinomas, Squamous Cell Carcinomas, and Melanomas) with high diagnostic accuracy.

On-Site Biopsy and Minor Surgical Excisions

If a suspicious lesion is identified during your check, you do not need to wait weeks for a hospital outpatient referral. Elmwood Medical Centre is equipped with a modern minor procedural theatre where our doctors perform diagnostic punch and shave biopsies, cryotherapy, and full surgical excisions under gentle local anaesthetic.

All excised tissue is immediately sent for histopathological analysis, and our team provides prompt post-operative follow-up and wound care. For optimal peace of mind, we advise annual skin checks for all adults living in the Border region, and 6-monthly reviews for patients with high-risk personal or family histories.