Cutaneous Lesion Screening Protocol in Elderly Populations

Why this course

Needs & context

Skin cancer is the most common malignancy in the United States, with incidence rising sharply after age 65. Elderly patients in long-term care have limited access to dermatological screening, and non-dermatologist professionals lack standardized tools for systematic cutaneous examination.

Learning objectives

Upon completion, the participant will be able to:

• Identify the epidemiological burden of cutaneous lesions in the elderly and apply risk-stratification criteria.
• Demonstrate a systematic dermatological examination sequence appropriate for elderly patients.
• Apply suspicion parameters to differentiate benign, pre-malignant and malignant lesions.
• Select appropriate referral criteria for dermatology specialist consultation.
• Use the standardized recording instrument to document findings and support team communication.
• Adapt the screening protocol to the institutional context of contracting facilities.

Topics covered

• Epidemiology of cutaneous lesions in the elderly: prevalence, underdiagnosis, mortality data
• Risk-stratification criteria for geriatric populations
• Systematic dermatological examination sequence
• Suspicion parameters (ABCDE rule, ugly-duckling sign)
• Referral criteria to dermatology specialists
• Standardized recording instrument for multidisciplinary teams
• Protocol adaptation per contracting institution
• Online post-assessment (10 questions, 70% to complete) and participant evaluation

References

1. Siegel RL, Miller KD, Fuchs HE, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2022. CA Cancer J Clin. 2022;72(1):7-33.
2. Guy GP Jr, Machlin SR, Ekwueme DU, Yabroff KR. Prevalence and costs of skin cancer treatment in the U.S. Am J Prev Med. 2015;48(2):183-187.
3. Linos E, Swetter SM, Cockburn MG, et al. Increasing burden of melanoma in the United States. J Invest Dermatol. 2009;129(7):1666-1674.
4. Christenson LJ, Borrowman TA, Vachon CM, et al. Incidence of basal and squamous cell carcinomas. JAMA. 2005;294(6):681-690.
5. Dessinioti C, Tzannis K, Sypsa V, et al. Epidemiological and clinical predictors of actinic keratosis. Br J Dermatol. 2017;177(5):1365-1372.