Skin Cancer Index and Quality of Life

For the future, Dr. Rhee noted that a real horizon in skin cancer management is nonsurgical therapy. We’ll be treating more and more skin cancer with topicals. Surgery will be for salvage and only used if the first line of treatment, the topicals, failed.

With new treatments such as topicals, the Skin Cancer Index becomes an especially valuable tool for comparisons. Researchers will compare multiple quality of life issues such as treatment length and appearance. Does it take six weeks or six months? Does it leave a scar?

We’ll be able to compare not only the final outcome, but also how the treatment itself affects patients, Dr. Rhee said.

©2007 The Triological Society