Tag: Skin Cancer

Managing Antidepressant Adverse Effects and Switching Therapy

Approximately ¾ of antidepressants are prescribed in the primary care setting, yet many primary care providers lack comprehensive training on depression screening and treatment. In this presentation, Dr. Kelly Gable and Dr. Jaron Asher will review common and rare adverse effects associated with antidepressant therapy, discuss tolerability concerns and highlight when and how to switch medications.

Skin Cancer Update for the Family Physician

Skin cancer is an epidemic. The incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer in 2006 was over 3,500,000, and one in five individuals living in the United States will develop a non-melanoma skin cancer over the course of their lifetime. The incidence of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer is rising year after year. Because of this, it is important that patients are trained on “sun smart” behaviors and skin self exams. Further, primary care providers play a critical role in examining patients for cutaneous malignancies at regular office visits as part of overall health maintenance. This presentation will discuss the three most commonly diagnosed forms of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Epidemiologic information, clinical features, diagnostic techniques and considerations as well as treatments will be discussed in a condensed fashion targeted to the audience. Sun protective measures that patients should be educated about will be discussed as well. Upon completion of this exercise, the audience should have increased comfort in the assessment of lesions suspicious for skin cancer and improved knowledge regarding diagnosis and treatment of these three malignancies.