Skin Cancer and Mohs Surgery
Skin Cancer Treatment at Carilion Clinic in Virginia
What Causes Skin Cancer?
Each year, approximately 1.2 million people develop skin cancer in the United States. There are many factors that contribute to the formation of skin cancers. The most important factor is sun exposure; however skin cancers can develop in areas of the body that are not sun exposed. In some patients, skin cancers appear to be genetically determined. Other causes include chronic infections, X-ray exposure, trauma and injury. Patients diagnosed with skin cancer should take special precautions to protect themselves from the sun: using sun block daily, wearing sun protective clothing and avoiding mid-day sun.
Why Should Skin Cancer Be Removed?
Cancers represent cells that undergo unpredictable growth patterns. The two most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Basal cell carcinomas grow slowly and if left untreated, may grow rather large, ulcerate, and become locally destructive and disfiguring. Only rarely does basal cell carcinoma spread throughout the body. Squamous cell carcinomas are more aggressive and have the potential to spread to other body parts. Other types of skin cancer can be treated with Mohs surgery depending on the location and growth pattern.
What Treatments are Available?
There are multiple treatment options available for the management of skin cancer. The procedure chosen is often determined by the type of skin cancer, location, size and whether the lesion has been treated previously. A patient’s age and health may also help determine the best treatment modality. Treatment methods include:
- Electrodessication and curettage (scraping the tissue and burning it with an electric needle)
- Cryosurgery (prolonged freezing of the tumor usually with liquid nitrogen)
- Excision (cutting out the tumor and suturing the wound back together or closing the wound with a graft or flap)
- Radiation therapy
- Topical chemotherapy
- Mohs micrographic surgery
What is Mohs Surgery?
Mohs surgery is an advanced technique where the physician serves as the surgeon, pathologist and reconstructive surgeon. During the procedure, the surgeon removes a layer of skin around the visible portion of the tumor and performs an immediate microscopic examination of the tissue. This allows the surgeon to map out the skin cancer beyond what is visible to the naked eye and remove additional tissue from only the areas that are involved with the tumor. The removal process stops when there is no longer any evidence of cancer remaining in the surgical site. This technique provides a 95 to 98 percent cure rate for all lesions treated. Because it removes only the tissue involved with the tumor, postoperative defects are minimal, which results in a better cosmetic outcome. Carilion Clinic offers this state-of-the-art treatment as part of its comprehensive dermatology program.
For more information, call Carilion Clinic at 1-800-422-8482 or 540-266-6000.
