Outpatient dermatology consultation impacts the diagnosis and management of pediatric oncology patients: A retrospective study

Background The impact of dermatology consultation on the care of children with oncologic conditions is unknown. Objective To review outpatient dermatology visits and the resulting impact on diagnosis and management of pediatric oncology patients. Method Retrospective review of pediatric oncology patients with outpatient dermatology visits at a tertiary care center from 2008 to 2015. Results The most common dermatologic diagnoses in 516 patients were skin infections (21.3%) and nonmalignant skin eruptions (33.4%). A diagnosis of significant impact (ie, malignancy, adverse cutaneous drug reaction, graft-versus-host disease, varicella-zoster virus, or herpes simplex virus infection), was made at the dermatology clinic in 14.7% of visits. Consultation resulted in a change in diagnosis in 59.8% of patients, change in dermatologic management in 72.4% of patients, and change in management of noncutaneous issues in 12.4% of patients. Limitations The use of electronic medical records, the nongeneralizable study population, and the retrospective design represent potential limitations. Conclusion Outpatient dermatology consultation can affect the care of pediatric oncology patients with respect to diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions and management of nondermatologic issues.