Outcomes and implications of a 12-year cross-sectional study on diagnosing and recognizing skin tumors in primary care.

Abstract

Introduction: Skin cancer, a significant global health issue, requires prompt detection and management, particularly among the elderly. Primary care physicians play a critical role in early diagnosis because they are often the first to evaluate patients with skin lesions. Accurate diagnosis by family physicians is essential for effective treatment and improved patient outcomes.

Methods: Over a 12-year period, this study analyzed 125 samples from 89 patients that presented with visible skin changes or suspicious lesions identified during routine examinations. Initial working diagnoses made by family physicians were compared to final pathohistological diagnoses (PHD).

Results: The study found a significant difference between working diagnoses and final PHDs for malignant versus benign cases, with an accuracy of 83.3% and statistical significance (p = 0.04). A difference of 12.9% was observed, indicating areas for improvement. The diagnostic effectiveness for premalignant versus benign cases is high (accuracy of 88.2%), but without statistical significance (p = 0.50), and it suggests that these differences are not clinically relevant.

Conclusions: Primary care physicians demonstrate high accuracy in identifying malignant skin conditions, which is crucial for effective skin cancer management. However, improving diagnostic accuracy, particularly to reduce the misclassification of benign conditions as malignant, remains necessary. Continued training and development are essential to further enhance diagnostic precision for all skin conditions.