An estimated 40 to 50 percent of fair-skinned people who live to be 65 will develop at least one skin cancer. In Florida, where the sun is intense year-round and outdoor living is embedded in daily life, that number reflects a reality most long-term residents have already encountered — in themselves, a spouse, a neighbor, a parent.
Skin cancer is also, in most cases, highly treatable when caught early. Basal cell carcinoma, the most common type, rarely spreads beyond the original site when treated promptly. Squamous cell carcinoma carries more risk but is still very manageable in early stages. Even melanoma, the most serious type, has dramatically better outcomes when diagnosed before it penetrates deeply into the skin.
The primary goal of everything in this section is catching problems before they become harder problems. Pre-cancerous lesions — actinic keratoses in particular — develop constantly on sun-damaged skin. They’re not cancer, but they’re not nothing either. Treating them systematically reduces the overall cancer burden over time. Regular full-body skin exams catch the changes that patients rarely notice on their own.
For patients who have already had a skin cancer, the surveillance becomes even more important. A prior basal cell carcinoma significantly increases the likelihood of developing another one. We don’t say that to alarm anyone — we say it because it’s the reason consistent follow-up matters.
The services in this section cover the full continuum from prevention and screening through diagnosis and non-surgical treatment. When surgery is the appropriate approach, see the Skin Cancer Treatment (Surgical) section.
Mole Evaluation & Removal
Most moles are completely benign — clusters of pigment-producing cells that develop during childhood and early adulthood and remain stable for decades. The vast majority will never cause any…
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Skin Cancer Diagnosis & Treatment
Skin cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis in the United States — more common than all other cancers combined. In Florida, with its year-round sun and culture built…
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Skin Cancer Screening (TBSE)
A Total Body Skin Exam — TBSE — is a systematic, head-to-toe examination of the entire skin surface. Scalp, behind the ears, between the toes, areas of the back…
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Precancerous Lesion Treatment (Actinic Keratoses)
Actinic keratoses — AKs — are the skin’s ledger of accumulated sun damage. They’re rough, scaly, sometimes slightly raised patches that develop most commonly on sun-exposed areas: the face,…
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