Patient Information

The Melanoma Centre is the Queensland's  longest running fully private skin cancer clinic.

We offer both spot checks and full skin checks with doctors who have advanced training and skills in the field of skin cancer. The clinic has 4 purpose designed consultation rooms, and a state-of-the-art procedure room.

Patients do not require a referral to book in with our doctors. You can book with us directly may be eligible for Medicare rebates for your consultations and procedures.

In addition to this, our doctors do welcome referrals from other practitioners, for example, when a second opinion is required. A copy of visit notes can be sent to the patients' regular GP upon request.

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The importance of THOROUGH SKIN CHECKS
  • About 1 million skin cancers are diagnosed in Australia every year.
  • About 20,000 melanomas are diagnosed annually in Australia.
  • Approximately one in twenty Australians will develop a melanoma in their lifetime.
  • Early detection of melanomas improves survival rates.
  • Australia and New Zealand have the highest skin cancer rate (and skin cancer death rate) in the world.
  • For men 20-44 years old, melanomas are the most common cause of death after motor vehicle accidents.
  • It is recommended by the NHMRC that all adult Australians have a thorough skin check annually- regardless of skin type or amount of sun exposure.
  • Life threatening skin cancers can occur in areas that have not been exposed to the sun (e.g. soles of feet, armpits).

Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

These account for the majority of skin cancers in Australia. Many are metastatic (travel to other organs), some are not. All are ‘cancers’ and grow and cause surrounding tissue destruction. Detecting these cancers early, makes for less tissue damage by the cancer and the surgery that may be required to contain it. Non-melanoma skin cancers are usually either Basal Cell Carcinomas or Squamous Cell Carcinomas.

Malignant Melanoma

All melanomas are ‘malignant’. Because melanomas have a high propensity to metastasize early (to ‘seed’ – to travel to distant organs and grow there), they have a high mortality rate. Early detection is the best form of intervention.

Cause of Melanoma

Exposure to sunlight is the principal factor responsible for the mutations in the melanocytes (pigment cells) in the skin, which gives rise to melanoma. However other factors play a role. These include genetic predisposition, immune system factors, and likely other less understood causes like chemicals, diet, stress and more.

Features of Skin Cancer

Our doctors use a variety of diagnostic techniques to detect skin cancers.

The public - you – should look for any changes in skin spots or moles. Especially concerning are:

  • Change in size, colour, shape, presence of hair
  • Sensitivity, itch or pain
  • Bleeding
  • Spots becoming sores that fail to heal in a reasonable period of time
  • Really noticeable moles or spots that “stand out” compared to other spots on the body
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