Specialty: consultant dermatologist with particular expertise in skin cancer, melanoma, moles, skin imaging with mole mapping and skin cancer genetics
Conditions seen: skin cancer, melanoma, moles, pigmented skin lesions, benign and cancerous skin lesions, skin rashes, eczema and dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, acne scarring, rosacea, warts, skin lumps and bumps, hyperpigmentation
Tests, treatments and procedures: mole check, 360° mole mapping using the Canfield VECTRA 3D imaging system, skin cancer screening, mole removal, excision of a skin lesion, excisional biopsy, skin surgery, skin cancer surgery, lumps and bumps removal surgery, wart treatment, laser treatment for acne and acne scarring
Often consulted by patients with: multiple moles or atypical moles (dysplastic naevus syndrome), a higher risk of developing melanoma, a mole or skin lesion needing assessment, or a general skin condition such as eczema, psoriasis or acne
Patient ages seen: 18+
Also: GMC certified dermatologist since 2008; PhD in skin immunology; reader at King's College London; twelve years as a Consultant Dermatologist at the St John's Institute of Dermatology, latterly as clinical lead for skin cancer
Language: English
Dr Katie Lacy is a consultant dermatologist at Welbeck's Dermatology centre in London, specialising in skin cancer, melanoma, moles, and skin cancer genetics. She assesses benign and cancerous skin lesions, including pigmented lesions and unusual or changing moles. Her general dermatology practice covers a range of conditions in adults, including eczema and dermatitis, psoriasis, acne and acne scarring, rosacea, warts, skin lumps and bumps, hyperpigmentation and skin rashes.
Dr Lacy has a particular interest in caring for patients with multiple moles or an increased risk of melanoma, including those with dysplastic naevus syndrome, a condition characterised by numerous moles, some of which have an unusual size, shape or colour. She offers 360° mole mapping using the Canfield VECTRA 3D imaging system, which creates detailed images of the skin to help monitor moles for changes over time. She also provides mole checks, skin cancer screening, excisional biopsy, mole removal and skin cancer surgery, alongside wart treatment and laser treatments for acne and acne scarring.
Before joining Welbeck, Dr Lacy was a consultant dermatologist at the St John's Institute of Dermatology at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital for 12 years, where she served as melanoma clinic lead and subsequently clinical lead for skin cancer. During this time, she established a specialist clinic for patients at high risk of melanoma, particularly those with multiple moles and dysplastic naevus syndrome, an area of work she continues at Welbeck. She also chaired skin cancer services for the South East London Cancer Alliance and ran a regional skin cancer genetics clinic at Guy's Hospital for patients with an inherited risk of developing skin cancer.
Dr Lacy studied medicine at Pembroke College, Oxford, where she was awarded a first-class degree, and at the Royal Free Hospital, before completing her specialist dermatology training in Bristol. She has been on the GMC Specialist Register for Dermatology since 2008 and holds a reader position at King's College London.
Dr Lacy trained in medicine at Pembroke College, Oxford, where she was awarded a first-class degree, and at the Royal Free Hospital. She trained as a dermatologist in Bristol and completed specialist training in dermatology in 2008, the year she became a GMC certified dermatologist. During her dermatology training she also completed a PhD in skin immunology at University College London, and she was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 2012.
Qualifications:
MA Physiological Sciences, 1st Class Honours, Oxford University (1994)
MBBS, London (1997)
PhD, University College London (2008)
Completion of specialist training in Dermatology (2008)
FRCP (2012)
Dr Lacy has remained active in research throughout her clinical career. Following her PhD in skin immunology at University College London, she was appointed reader at King's College London, where she led research into how the immune system responds to melanoma. Her published work includes research into treatments that use the immune system to target cancer, techniques for examining skin cancer and the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy, a procedure used to check whether melanoma has spread to nearby lymph nodes. She has presented her research at national and international conferences.
Dr Lacy has also written about the benefits of combining 3D mole mapping with clinical skin examinations to monitor patients at increased risk of melanoma, an approach she uses in her specialist practice.
Key publications:
IgE Activates Monocytes from Cancer Patients to Acquire a Pro-Inflammatory Phenotype. Cancers (Basel).2020;12(11). DOI: 10.3390/cancers12113376
Combining Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Established and Emerging Targets and Strategies to Improve Outcomes in Melanoma. Front Immunol. 2019;10:453. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00453
Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 and its potential as an antibody immunotherapy target across different tumor types. Immunol. 2018;8:1911.
Histological correlates of optical coherence tomography in non-melanoma skin cancer. Skin Res Technol.2013;19(1):10–19. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0846.2012.00626.x
Call for a balanced view on sentinel node biopsy for melanoma. BMJ. 2013;346. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.f648
British Association of Dermatologists
Royal College of Physicians
Royal Society of Medicine
British Medical Association
British Society for Investigative Dermatology
British Society of Immunology
International Dermoscopy Society
Roger Bannister Prize for Medicine, Pembroke College, awarded for the highest marks in finals (1994)
Hugh Wallace Registrar Presentation Prize, Royal Society of Medicine (2008)
St John's Dermatological Society Medal for a presentation on melanoma and pregnancy (2019)
Appointments are available at 1 Welbeck Street, London W1G 0AR.
Enquire online or call 020 3653 2007.
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Mole mapping involves taking detailed images of your skin to record the position and appearance of your moles. These images can then be compared at future appointments to identify any changes that might need further investigation.
Dr Lacy offers 360° mole mapping using the Canfield VECTRA 3D imaging system. It can be particularly helpful if you have a large number of moles, unusual-looking moles or an increased risk of developing melanoma. This includes people with dysplastic naevus syndrome, a condition in which a person has multiple moles, some of which have an unusual size, shape or colour. Dr Lacy can advise whether mole mapping would be beneficial for you.
A skin cancer genetics clinic assesses people who may have an inherited risk of developing skin cancer, particularly melanoma. This can include people with a strong family history of skin cancer or certain inherited genetic conditions. Understanding your individual risk can help determine whether you need more regular skin checks, mole mapping or other monitoring.
Dr Lacy previously ran a regional skin cancer genetics clinic at Guy's Hospital and has specialist expertise in assessing patients at increased risk of skin cancer, including those with a family history of melanoma.
Yes. Alongside her specialist work in skin cancer, Dr Lacy treats a wide range of skin conditions in adults. These include eczema and dermatitis, psoriasis, acne and acne scarring, rosacea, warts, skin lumps and bumps, hyperpigmentation and skin rashes.
Yes. Dr Lacy offers mole checks and mole removal for patients with moles that are changing, unusual in appearance or causing concern. She will examine your mole, assess whether there are any signs of skin cancer and advise whether removal is necessary.
If a mole needs to be removed, Dr Lacy may recommend an excisional biopsy, a procedure in which the mole is removed under local anaesthetic and sent to a laboratory for examination. She can explain the procedure, any potential scarring and what to expect afterwards.
