NURSES IN NEW FRONTLINE TO CATCH SKIN CANCER EARLIER

Australia’s most significant cancer burden has a fresh frontline

.A University of South Australia team is backing a nurse-led screening model that trains primary care nurses in dermoscopy and AI-supported skin checks, aiming to speed up detection in communities that struggle to see a GP or dermatologist.

The approach, outlined in the nursing journal Collegian, responds to a stark reality. Australia records the world’s highest melanoma rates, and two in three people are diagnosed with skin cancer by age 70.

Researchers argue that the current approach is not keeping pace with the disease, especially outside the cities.

Launched in February 2023, the nurse-led model has been operating across 13 regional and rural mobile clinics in South Australia.

More than 1200 people have been screened, and hundreds of suspicious lesions have been identified, including 96 suspected melanoma cases.

Early results suggest patients are comfortable with nurses leading initial checks, with referrals made for follow-up when needed.

Lead author Dr Kim Gibson from UniSA’s Rosemary Bryant AO Research Centre says the current system leaves too many gaps.

“The current reliance on opportunistic, GP-led skin checks leaves significant healthcare gaps for Australians, particularly those living in rural and regional areas who face major barriers in accessing skin cancer screening,” Dr Gibson says.

The numbers underline the urgency. More than 2200 Australians die from skin cancer each year, including 1400 from melanoma. Without change, the national economic burden is forecast to reach $8.7 billion by 2030.

In rural areas, severe GP shortages, long waiting times, out-of-pocket costs, and limited access to dermatologists are prevalent.

“Nurses represent the largest health workforce in regional areas and are ideally placed to bridge this gap. By empowering and equipping them to lead skin cancer detection, we can save lives.”

Since early 2023, the RBRC has trained 51 nurses to use dermoscopy and AI to flag suspicious lesions and refer patients.

The goal is to upskill 600 primary care nurses nationwide, expanding reach at pace and reducing travel and wait times for at-risk populations.

RBRC Director and co-author Professor Marion Eckert says the model can do even more with added scope.

“This approach is all about reducing inequities. Rural Australians are not only more likely to develop melanoma due to predominantly being outdoor workers, but are also more likely to die from it.

This model tackles that inequity by bringing services to communities and using nurses’ expertise to detect skin cancer earlier,” Prof Eckert says.

With further training, nurse practitioners would be able to perform biopsies and excisions, taking pressure off overstretched medical services and shortening the path from detection to treatment.

The proposal lands as Australia develops a National Targeted Skin Cancer Screening Program focusing on high-risk groups, including rural and regional communities. The UniSA team argues nurses should be central to that national strategy.

“By embedding nurses into the frontline of melanoma detection, the national program can be more efficient, accessible and cost-effective,” Prof Eckert says.

“Nurse-led models are already improving other areas of healthcare, such as breast cancer screening, and skin cancer is a natural next step.”