Skin and soft tissue oncology

Our dermatologists treat skin cancer at hospitals and clinics around the UAE. In Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, the surgery to remove a skin tumour and rebuild the skin afterwards happens inside the dermatology unit. Radiotherapy and the drug treatments that come after surgery run from our cancer centres.

What is skin and soft tissue oncology?

Skin and soft tissue oncology covers cancers that start on the skin, and the rarer ones that start in the soft tissue underneath. Most of the work is skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma are the frequent types. Sarcoma, the soft tissue side, grows deeper in the body and it's much less common. Dermatology treats the skin broadly; this area handles the growths that may be cancer and the check-ups that follow.

When should you get a skin change or a lump checked?

Book an appointment if you notice:

• A mole that changes size, shape or colour
• A sore or scab that has not healed after a few weeks
• A new growth or rough patch on skin that gets a lot of sun
• A mole that itches, bleeds or crusts over
• A dark mark under a nail with no injury to explain it
• A lump under the skin that keeps growing

Ask your doctor about regular skin checks if you burn easily in the sun or have spent years working outdoors. The same goes if you have had a skin cancer before or if you take medicines that lower your immunity. Most lumps and skin changes turn out to be harmless, and the ones that are not are easier to treat when they're found early.

What to expect

At your first appointment the specialist asks how long the change has been there and what's altered. Then they examine the area with a magnifier, which shows detail the eye misses. If a growth looks suspicious, your specialist cuts it out with a small margin and sends it to the laboratory. You'll hear this called an excision biopsy. A lump sitting deeper in the body usually goes for an ultrasound or MRI scan first.

The laboratory result decides the treatment; many skin cancers need surgery alone. Where a lot of skin comes away, a graft or flap rebuilds the area. Your specialist may treat a smaller surface growth without cutting, using options such as freezing, a cream or light-activated treatment. Where surgery can't do it all, radiotherapy or drug treatment follows. Your specialist agrees the next step with you and arranges check-ups afterwards.

Skin and soft tissue oncology at Mediclinic

You can have a skin change looked at by our dermatologists, who treat skin cancer in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Our Abu Dhabi and Al Ain units screen for all three of the common skin cancers. Excision and reconstruction are one service in those units, and the wound is closed with a flap or a graft.

The treatment that follows runs from our cancer centres at Mediclinic City Hospital and Mediclinic Airport Road Hospital. Radiotherapy at our Airport Road centre treats sarcoma as well as the common skin cancers. Drug treatment from our medical oncology teams includes chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Your case doesn't rest with one doctor. It goes to a tumour board, where specialists such as surgeons, oncologists and radiologists agree the plan between them.