Military Dermatology Considerations for Skin Cancer, Deployment, and Duty Limitations

Conclusions

• Military and veteran patients with skin cancer need pre-procedure planning around near-term duties such as PT tests, flying, and deployments to avoid unnecessary occupational disruption.
• Temporary profiles, duty restrictions, or short postponements of treatment can often prevent logistical problems and may be preferable when the cancer is low risk and treatment can wait.
• After Mohs surgery or biopsy, activity limits should be tailored to the service member’s likely duties, with common restrictions including no heavy lifting, no running, and no field conditions.
• Civilian dermatology providers should not try to manage military duty status alone but should communicate their intended restrictions and let the unit provider formalize the profile or quarters if needed.
• Service members and veterans appear to have a higher risk of skin cancer than the general population, likely because of UV exposure, shift work, and toxin exposures.
• Pilots and aircrew are an especially high-risk subgroup, with military pilots showing markedly increased melanoma risk compared with the background population.
• The increased skin-cancer risk associated with military service does not disappear after separation from service, so surveillance remains important for veterans.
• Operation SunSCREEN and related outreach efforts aim to increase screening, sunscreen use, and awareness in military and veteran populations.
• For a successfully treated basal cell carcinoma, deployability is usually preserved, with ongoing counseling on sun protection and annual skin exams.
• More aggressive or poorly controlled skin cancers such as SCC or melanoma can trigger additional monitoring, waiver requirements, or medical board review, especially when disease is advanced or interferes with duty.