These new keratinocyte cancer guidelines were put together by a multidisciplinary working party group of volunteers to revise the 2008 guidelines.
The term keratinocyte cancer encompasses skin cancers formerly known as non-melanoma skin cancers, comprising basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
These guidelines are of benefit to the general practitioners, the skin cancer clinic doctors, and also specialists who undertake therapy for patients with keratinocyte cancers in Australia.
The two areas where there has been a significant change are the treatment of advanced keratinocyte cancer with radiotherapy and immunotherapy, and also the role of immunosuppression in the development of keratinocyte cancers.
I would especially like to thank the members of the working party, the additional authors and co-authors of the chapters, and also Tamsin Curtis from Cancer Council Australia for overseeing and encouraging the authors in their revision of the guidelines.
I would also like to thank Jenni Harman the medical writer and editor for her invaluable help in putting these new guidelines together into a clear and readable format.
Stephen Shumack OAM FACD
Clinical Associate Professor, University of Sydney
Chair, Keratinocyte Cancer Guidelines Working Party