Skin cancer may require removal with surgical excisions, electrodessication, curettage, or Mohs surgery. This will allow for possible reconstruction of the skin and surrounding tissues.
Experts in the field Sundoctors say that Squamous cell carcinoma can be very aggressive and may require additional surgical skin cancer procedures. You may be recommended additional treatments, such as medication or radiation treatment–energy beams that penetrate the skin and kill cancer cells.
Basal cell carcinoma is less likely than other forms of cancer to progress to an aggressive form, but our doctors can perform surgery or other treatments to help.
Electrodessication & Curettage
This can be done for small basal or squamous cell cancers that have not reached the top of the skin or are not near sensitive areas such as the eyes and lips.
Although the procedure is quick and easy, it does not allow for surgical intervention. However, the tissue that has been removed cannot be sent to a pathologist to be examined. This means that you will not know for certain if all cancer cells have been removed.
Standard Surgical Excision
A standard surgical excision involves removing the entire tumor and preserving healthy tissue. The doctor closes the incision by using stitches. After that, the tissue is sent to the laboratory where a dermatopathologist inspects it under a microscope. The results of the test may take up to one week.
Mohs Surgery
Mohs surgery allows surgeons to keep healthy tissue’s borders small to minimize scarring. This method allows doctors to assess 100 percent of the tissue margins, as opposed to 2 to 3 percent with standard surgical excision.
Mohs surgery can also be used to reduce the need for further surgery. Most patients can return home within a few hours of their procedure. The entire procedure can take up to an hour due to waiting times for pathology results, and possible multiple rounds of surgery.
Lymph Node Biopsy
The doctor might recommend you have a lymph node dissection. This involves the surgical removal of one or more area nodes if the cancer has spread to other nerves and blood vessels. To determine if the tissue is cancerous, a pathologist will examine it under a microscope.
Reconstruction
Although small incisions can be closed by doctors using stitches, larger ones will need to be treated with reconstructive procedures.
Because doctors can confirm that the tumor has been completely removed, reconstruction can be done the same day as Mohs surgery. Reconstruction is delayed until pathologists have confirmed that the border of cancer has been removed. Most cases of reconstruction are performed under local anesthesia by the Mohs surgeon.
The location of the tumor and how much surrounding tissue was removed will determine which surgical procedure is used. A skin graft is a procedure that removes a small amount of skin from a relatively shallow area. It is usually done in an area of the body that doesn’t have any missing skin, such as your inner thigh.
Doctors may use a local flap to close larger or deeper skin openings. This can be a small piece of skin or fat from nearby. The flap is removed while the current blood supply to it is still intact. During reconstruction, it may be necessary to move the cartilage (the firm, white tissue that gives structure to certain parts of the body, such as the ears or nose).
The skin flaps are usually left in place for several days while the site heals. They are contoured to match surrounding tissues and healthy skin in a second procedure. You can repair the nose with a skin flap taken from the cheek or cartilage taken from the ear. The nose is reconstructed by doctors after removing any excess flap tissue.
Recovery
The recovery time for basal and squamous cell cancer surgery is variable depending on the size and location of the tumor and whether or not lymph nodes were removed.
After surgery, our doctors closely monitor your progress to make sure you heal properly. They also help you manage any discomfort with medication or with our holistic health therapies.
Sensitive Skin Saviours We Love
Caring for Long Hair – Stimulate Roots and Strengthen Strands with Grow Gorgeous