Clinical Review
Skin in the game: epidemiology analysis of skin cancer in rural Western Victoria
AUTHORS
Tori Dopheide1 MD, BBiomedSc, Medical Student (Y4)
Jessica Feeney2 BSc (ParamedSc), BTrngDev, Medical Student (Y3) *
Joshua Eaton1 MD, BCOM
Jessica Beattie3 MHHSM, Lecturer in Rural General Practice (Program Development and Support) 
Rizwan Jaipurwala3 FRACGP, Affiliate Lecturer
Lara Fuller3 FRACGP, Director of Rural Medical Education and Director Rural Community Clinical School
Leesa Walker4 FRACGP, Senior Lecturer
AFFILIATIONS
1 School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Vic. 3216, Australia
2 Oceania University of Medicine, Apia, Samoa
3 Rural Community Clinical School, School of Medicine, Deakin University, PO Box 713, Colac, Vic. 3250, Australia
4 Rural Health South Australia, Flinders University, PO Box 3570, Mount Gambier, SA 5290, Australia
ACCEPTED: 5 November 2024
early abstract:
Objectives: To evaluate the number and types of skin cancers excised by general practitioners in a rural clinic in South-West Victoria and analyse the number needed to treat and the influence of clinician experience on diagnostic accuracy.
Design: A retrospective audit of patient records from two discrete time periods (14/10/2019–05/11/2020 and 01/02/2021–17/02/2022). Data extracted included number of lesions removed, location of lesions, skin cancers detected, patient and clinician demographics.
Results: A total of 789 lesions were excised, of these 449 (56.9%) were histologically confirmed to be malignant. Males were statistically more likely to be diagnosed with a malignancy (P=<.001). The number needed to treat for melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer was 5.4 and 1.4, respectively. Experienced GPs (>5 years' experience) were better at detecting melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer than their junior colleagues.
Conclusions: This study investigated the demographics of rural skin cancer patients and the diagnostic skills of GPs in South West Victoria. Results obtained found males had a higher risk of skin cancer than females. The diagnostic accuracy for all skin cancers improved with clinician experience and a lower overall number needed to treat for both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer when compared to existing literature. Differences in this may highlight the experience, exposure, and professional interest of rural GPs, addressing a lack of specialist services in the area.