Melanoma
Benefits
Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. When detected early, the outlook is excellent — the five-year survival rate for stage I melanoma exceeds 98%. Early surgical treatment is therefore critical. Mr Thacoor is a member of Melanoma Focus, a national organisation dedicated to improving outcomes for patients with melanoma.
Treatment involves wide local excision of the primary melanoma with margins determined by tumour thickness (Breslow depth). For melanomas of 1mm or greater — or thinner tumours with high-risk features — sentinel lymph node biopsy is performed to stage the disease accurately.
What to expect
- Wide local excision under local or general anaesthetic depending on site and extent
- Sentinel lymph node biopsy where indicated
- All cases discussed at a specialist skin cancer MDT meeting
- Reconstruction of the excision site, ranging from direct closure to complex flap reconstruction
- Structured surveillance programme with clinical follow-up
Referrals
Urgent referrals for suspected melanoma are accepted from GPs and dermatologists. Please contact the secretary for expedited appointment booking.