The type of skin cancer surgery your doctor recommends will depend on the size of the growth and where it is located. Possibilities include excisional surgery, Mohs surgery, and cryosurgery. Most all surgeries will leave some type of scar. The size and color of the scar will depend on the size of the cancer, the type of skin cancer surgery, and how your skin heals.
An Introduction to Skin Cancer Surgery
Several types of
skin cancer surgery are used for treatment. The method that your doctor recommends will depend on the size and place of the growth and other factors.
- Excisional skin cancer surgery
- Mohs surgery
- Electrodesiccation and curettage
- Cryosurgery
- Laser surgery
- Dermabrasion
- Grafts.
Excisional Skin Cancer Surgery
Excisional skin cancer surgery is a common treatment for skin cancer. After numbing the area, the surgeon will remove the growth with a scalpel. The surgeon will also remove a border of skin around the growth. This skin is the margin. The margin is examined under a microscope to be certain that all of the cancer cells have been removed. The size of the margin will depend on the size of the growth.
Mohs Surgery for Skin Cancer
Mohs surgery (also called Mohs micrographic surgery) is another common treatment for skin cancer. The area of the growth is numbed, and a specially trained surgeon will shave away thin layers of the growth. Each layer is immediately examined under a microscope. The surgeon will continue to shave away tissue until no cancer cells can be seen under the microscope. In this way, the surgeon can remove all the cancer and only a small bit of healthy tissue.
Add this article to your Favorites
Email this article
Print