Can curettage alone be curative for skin cancer?

In skin cancer surgery, the humble curette is a familiar tool, but how effective is curettage on its own as a definitive treatment? In this episode of Life by a Thousand Cuts, A/Prof Tony Dicker takes a closer look at a new study published in Dermatologic Surgery exploring five-year recurrence rates following curettage-only management of keratinocyte carcinomas.

In the episode, A/Prof Dicker covers:

• How the study was designed and what its limitations tell us about real-world data collection
• How recurrence rates after curettage compare with surgery, cautery, and topical therapies
• What this means for treatment selection, patient communication, and MBS item use in Australian practice

If you have ever wondered whether curettage alone can stand up as a reliable primary treatment option, this episode offers useful insights drawn from recent evidence and practical interpretation.

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Life by a Thousand Cuts 

This podcast series is designed to help you enhance your clinical decision-making, procedural skills, and confidence in skin cancer management. Focus on real-world cases, surgical techniques and tips, journal article reviews, diagnostic and management insights, and guest interviews with GPs and specialists.

Listen to the previous episode: What GPs should know about sunscreen controversies

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Or explore more educational content in Skin Cancer Surgery.

About A/Prof Tony Dicker

Associate Professor (Skin Cancer) & Course Coordinator MMed (Skin Cancer), The University of Queensland

Tony Dicker has practised full-time Skin Cancer Medicine in Melbourne since 2004, and previously practised in Brisbane. He obtained his PhD from The University of Queensland in molecular biology of skin cancer with Professor Ian Frazer's group at Princess Alexandra Hospital. He then spent three years as a dermatology registrar at the Royal Brisbane and Princess Alexandra Hospitals.

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