Building Local Capacity to Catch Skin Cancer Early
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center provided hands-on training to local providers from across the Florida Keys to strengthen their ability to identify and respond to suspicious skin lesions earlier.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. An estimated 90% to 95% of melanoma cases in the United States are attributable to ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure, making UV protection the most important modifiable strategy for melanoma prevention. When it does occur, early detection can mean the difference between a simple outpatient procedure and a life-threatening diagnosis.
That urgency is amplified in Florida, where year-round ultraviolet exposure drives some of the nation’s highest skin cancer rates. In federally designated, medically underserved regions such as the Florida Keys, where access to specialty care is limited and often requires long-distance travel, early detection is not optional. It is essential. To help, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of UHealth — University of Miami Health System, designed a special training.
Hands-On Training Builds Diagnostic Confidence
The Sylvester Monroe County Community Advisory Board, serving the Florida Keys, identified a critical need to strengthen local capacity for cancer prevention and early detection. In response, experts from Sylvester traveled to Key West to deliver intensive, hands-on training designed to sharpen frontline diagnostic skills among local providers.
“We are giving providers the tools to detect skin cancer earlier when treatment is simpler and outcomes are far better,” said Erin Kobetz, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate director for community outreach and engagement at Sylvester and chair of the Florida Cancer Control and Research Advisory Council. “This is what happens when academic medicine and communities align around a shared, urgent priority.”
Hands-On Training Builds Diagnostic Confidence
Developed with the Florida Keys Area Health Education Center, the one-day continuing medical education course was shaped by community input and designed for immediate clinical use. It brought together primary care physicians and advanced practice providers from across the Keys, with a goal to improve early recognition and response to suspicious lesions.
“Skin cancer is one of the few cancers we can often see, and that makes early detection incredibly powerful,” said Natalia Jaimes, M.D., a Sylvester dermatologist and researcher who led the training. “Identifying lesions early improves survival, reduces treatment complexity and lowers health care costs.”
Participants were trained in comprehensive skin examinations, recognition of benign versus concerning lesions and use of dermoscopy, a noninvasive tool that reveals structures beneath the skin surface.
“We focused on practical decision-making, like when to biopsy, when to refer and when it’s appropriate to reassure a patient,” said Dr. Jaimes, an associate professor in the Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at the Miller School.
From One-Day Course to Sustained Community Impact
The impact was immediate. Providers reported marked gains in confidence and clinical readiness, with demand for additional training already on the rise.
“In just one day, we saw providers move from uncertainty to confidence,” said Alicia Diaz Oria, M.P.H., director of the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement at Sylvester. “That kind of shift directly impacts patient outcomes.”
Through the Beyer Skin Cancer Prevention and Control Initiative, Sylvester provided dermatoscopes and established an ongoing training pathway for continued learning and improvement of technique, as well as expert review and clinical support.
“This is about building a model that lasts,” Diaz Oria said. “We’re strengthening a system where providers are equipped with the tools, training and support they need to deliver better-informed care within their own communities.”
That work extends beyond clinical settings. Through the Beyer Initiative, Dr. Jaimes leads education efforts reaching young students, clinicians, nurses and community professionals, including hairdressers, to broaden awareness of prevention and early detection. Sylvester’s Game Changer™ mobile cancer screening unit further expands access by bringing screenings directly to underserved communities.
Empowering Patients to Catch Cancer Early
Provider training is only one side of the equation. Patient awareness is equally critical. Dr. Jaimes encourages monthly self-examinations and attention to any new or changing skin lesions.
“People should get to know their skin,” she said. “Anything new that doesn’t resolve after a few weeks or any change in size, shape, color or texture should be evaluated.”
She recommends full-body checks, from scalp to soles, and using photos to track changes, especially in hard-to-see areas.
“Not every change is cancer,” she added. “But most skin cancers appear as something new or evolving. Early attention saves lives.”
Routine dermatology visits every three to 12 months, depending on risk, remain a critical layer of protection.
Advanced Melanoma Care and Research at Sylvester
Sylvester’s focus on early detection is matched by leadership in advanced cancer treatment. As a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center, it provides multidisciplinary care for complex melanoma cases and access to cutting-edge clinical trials.
Advanced tools such as total-body photography and digital dermoscopy allow clinicians to monitor high-risk patients over time. This technology is available at only two centers in South Florida.
Jose Lutzky, M.D., chief of cutaneous oncology services at Sylvester and professor of medical oncology at the Miller School, is also advancing the use of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy. This FDA-approved approach uses a patient’s own immune cells to target cancer. Sylvester is the only center in South Florida offering this treatment.
Together, these efforts reflect Sylvester’s broader mission of detecting cancer earlier, treating it more effectively and bringing high-quality care closer to every community.
“As an NCI-designated center, we’re not just treating cancer. We’re working with communities to detect it earlier and save lives,” said Dr. Kobetz.
More from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
The Miller School’s Rebecca Kaiser is studying how social determinants affect patients’ ability to access health care.
The Sylvester team received a $5.2 million grant to study side effects in patients taking checkpoint inhibitors to treat cancer.
The Beyer family looks to raise awareness and improve outcomes for skin cancer patients while supporting Dr. Jose Lutzky’s melanoma research.
The first cell immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma patients will soon be available to patients at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Tags: cancer research, dermatology, Dr. Natalia Jaimes, Dr. Philip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, skin cancer, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, uveal melanoma