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Article

Role of community pharmacists in skin cancer screening: A descriptive study of skin cancer risk factors prevalence and photoprotection habits in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Joan F. Mir1, Maria Estrada-Campmany1, Anna Heredia1, Cristina Rodríguez-Caba1, Marta Alcalde1, Natalia Espinosa2, Jilliana Monnier2, Javiera Pérez-Anker2, Oriol Yélamos2, Susana Puig3, Núria Bosch1, Josep Malvehy4

  1. 1Barcelona Pharmacists Association (COFB), Barcelona, Spain.
  2. 2Melanoma Unit, Dermatology Department, IDIBAPS-Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.
  3. 3Melanoma Unit, Dermatology Department, IDIBAPS-Hospital Clinic, Barcelona; & Biomedical Research Networking Centers Consortium, Institute of Health Carlos III (CIBER-ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain.
  4. 4Melanoma Unit, Dermatology Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona. Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS). Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER), Instituto Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.

Received: 24-01-2019; Accepted: 28-07-2019.

Volume 17, Issue 3 · pp. 1 · PUBLISHED Jul-Sep 2019 · DOI: 10.18549/PharmPract.2019.3.1455

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ABSTRACT

Background: Skin cancer incidence is increasing alarmingly, despite current efforts trying to improve its early detection. Community pharmacists have proven success in implementing screening protocols for a number of diseases because of their skills and easy access. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of skin cancer risk factors and the photoprotection habits with a questionnaire in community pharmacy users. Methods: A research group consisting of pharmacists and dermatologists conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study to assess photoprotection habits and skin cancer risk factors by using a validated questionnaire in 218 community pharmacies in Barcelona from May 23rd to June 13th 2016. All participants received health education on photoprotection and skin cancer prevention. Patients with ≥1 skin cancer risk factor were referred to their physician, as they needed further screening of skin cancer. Results: A total of 5,530 participants were evaluated. Of those, only 20.2% participants had received a total body skin examination for skin cancer screening in the past by a physician and 57.1% reported using a SPF 50+ sunscreen. 53.9% participants presented ≥1 skin cancer risk factor: 11.8% participants reported having skin cancer familial history and 6.2% reported skin cancer personal history; pharmacists found ≥10 melanocytic nevi in 43.8% participants and chronically sun-damaged skin in 21.4%. Lesions suspicious for melanoma were reported in 10.9% of the participants and urgent dermatological evaluation was recommended. Conclusions: Pharmacists can detect people with skin cancer risk factors amongst their users. This intervention can be considered in multidisciplinary strategies of skin cancer screening.

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    Mir, J. F., Estrada-Campmany, M., Heredia, A., Rodríguez-Caba, C., Alcalde, M., Espinosa, N., Monnier, J., Pérez-Anker, J., Yélamos, O., Puig, S., Bosch, N., & Malvehy, J. (2019). Role of community pharmacists in skin cancer screening: A descriptive study of skin cancer risk factors prevalence and photoprotection habits in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Pharmacy Practice, 17(3), 1. https://doi.org/10.18549/PharmPract.2019.3.1455