RECALLING BASAL-CELL CARCINOMA PATIENTS - A REGIONAL SURVEY

BACKGROUND. Patients with a basal cell carcinoma (BCC) are at increased risk for developing further BCCs, and long-term follow-up has been recommended to detect new cancers at an earlier, more easily treatable stage. The majority of BCCs are treated by dermatologists in their offices, we do not know to what extent they perform long-term follow up on their patients. OBJECTIVE. To determine how practicing dermatologists follow up their BCC patients. METHODs. A mailed questionnaire survey of 166 practicing members of a regional dermatologic society (the San Francisco Dermatological Society), to which 142 (85%) replied. RESULTS. Two thirds of the respondents recalled BCC patients for screening examinations; of these, 58% followed up non-responders. Recall efforts were hampered by inefficient, unwieldy, and time-consuming techniques. CONCLUSION. Practicing dermatologists are motivated to recall BCC patients for examination, but guidelines and techniques for effective and efficient computerized recalling of skin cancer patients are needed. It is suggested that the American Academy of Dermatology set up a task force to develop guidelines and criteria for effective recall software.