FNQH Skin Cancer Clinic’s success with 3D total body photography machine

Lurking just above and under the surface is the Far North’s most overlooked killer. Learn how to stay safe and protect yourself.

A CAIRNS clinic has hailed the impact of its latest weapon in the battle against skin cancer with a warning to catch the potential killer early.

The FNQH Skin Cancer Clinic has been using a 3D total body photography machine to record and compare images for melanomas. The Westcourt business claims it is the only general practice in Australia to have the revolutionary technology.

Since January 4, the clinic has recorded 65 melanomas this year but it appears numbers are only increasing as awareness grows.

Dr Vin Rajeswaran, from FNQH Skin Cancer Clinic, said about one melanoma is currently being discovered per working day.

“It’s one of the most dangerous skin cancers and is one of the most common causes leading to death in cancers,” he said.

“North Queensland has one of the highest incidents of melanomas.”

To know when to get a mole checked, Dr Rajeswaran said to have skin checks once a year, exercise sun protection and check your skin.

“SCAN – is it sore, changing, abnormal or new?” he said.

“If it’s early there’s a 95 per cent cure rate with a simple surgery. We can’t stop it from happening but we can diagnose early and try to cure it.”

Jules Steer of Edge Hill, was diagnosed with stage two melanoma in late 2020. Picture: Supplied

Jules Steer from Edge Hill always maintained adequate sun protection and never sunbathed but was still diagnosed with a stage 2 melanoma that had reached her dermis and subcutaneous fat.

“I kept putting off (getting it checked), something else always took priority,” she said.

“If I had waited another three or four weeks, it would’ve been a very different story.”

Mt Sheridan’s Jade Boxall had two melanomas removed in the past six years and never thought skin cancer could happen to her.

“People really need to make sure no matter how old they are, that they get their skin checks. It saved my life,” she said.

Originally published as FNQH Skin Cancer Clinic’s success with 3D total body photography machine