Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, accounting for nearly half of all cancers in the United States.* As prevalent as the disease has become, it is not the end of the world if you are diagnosed. In fact, skin cancer is almost always curable if found and treated early.
The most advanced and effective treatment for skin cancer today is Mohs micrographic surgery, an outpatient procedure. Offered at The Skin Surgery Centre, this procedure has the highest cure rate of all skin cancer treatments – up to 99% – even if the skin cancer has been previously treated by another method.
Originally developed by Dr. Frederic Mohs in the 1930s, Mohs micrographic surgery has been refined into the most advanced, precise, and effective treatment for an increasing variety of skin cancer types. With the Mohs technique, physicians who are specially trained as a cancer surgeon, pathologist, and reconstructive surgeon, can precisely identify and remove an entire tumor while leaving the surrounding healthy tissue intact and unharmed.
Mohs surgery is unique and so effective because of the way the removed tissue is microscopically examined, evaluating 100% of the surgical margins. The pathologic interpretation of the tissue margins is done on site by the Mohs surgeon. Advantages of Mohs surgery include:
- Ensuring complete cancer removal during surgery, minimizing the chance of the cancer growing back
- Minimizing the amount of healthy tissue lost
- Maximizing the functional and cosmetic outcome resulting from surgery
- Repairing the site of cancer the same day the cancer is removed, in most cases
- Curing resistant skin cancers not responsive to other methods, such as freezing, traditional excision, and others.
Other skin cancer treatment methods blindly estimate the amount of tissue to treat, which can result in the unnecessary removal of healthy skin tissue if more tissue is taken than needed or tumor re-growth if any involved areas are not visible to the naked eye.
According to National Geographic, the average adult has about eight pounds, or about 22 square feet of skin. To put that in perspective — a standard doorway is 21 square feet, and the average adult’s skin would fill all of that space. As the largest organ of the body, your skin is incredibly important to your health and overall well-being. That’s why it is important to treat skin cancer lesions early.
While it is important to treat every type of skin cancer, not every skin tumor is necessarily a candidate for Mohs surgery. Most cases on the body can be treated with traditional surgical excision or destructive techniques by your general dermatologist. For cosmetically sensitive regions of the head and neck, areas where the skin cancers have a higher risk of recurrence, or with particularly large lesions, Mohs surgery is usually employed.
When it comes to your skin health, you can never be too cautious or careful. If you notice anything unusual in regards to your skin, please contact your general dermatologist immediately.
About The Skin Surgery Centre
The Skin Surgery Centre, located in Metairie, Louisiana, is a state-of-the-art facility for surgical and cosmetic treatments to maximize the health and appearance of your skin. The facility’s board-certified, fellowship-trained physician and staff strive to provide individualized, focused skin care to each patient and their families in a warm, caring environment.
The Skin Surgery Centre specializes in Mohs micrographic surgery and reconstruction as well as the latest minimally invasive cosmetic procedures including botulinum toxins, soft-tissue fillers, chemical peels, and anti-aging skin care regimens.
For more information about The Skin Surgery Centre’s Mohs surgery or other treatment options, please call 504-644-4226, email us or click here.
*American Cancer Society – http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/sunanduvexposure/skin-cancer-facts