What is Mohs surgery?
Among skin cancer treatments, Mohs surgery has the highest success rate. During the procedure, a microscope is used to trace the edges of the tumors and ensure the cancers are removed down to their roots. Because of this microscopic precision, only the cancerous tissue is removed. The surrounding healthy tissue is left intact.
What types of skin cancer does Mohs surgery treat?
The Mohs technique is used most often to treat squamous and basal cell carcinomas. Some melanomas, as well as other types of skin cancer may be treated using Mohs. Because of its preservation of surrounding tisse, Mohs surgery is especially useful for functionally important or sensitive areas such as the eyelids, nose, and lips.
It's also used to treat:
- Aggressive and/or recurrent skin cancers
- Skin cancers with ill-defined borders
- Cancers that arise in areas previously treated with radiation
- Patients with suppressed immune systems or specific genetic disorders
What to expect during Mohs surgery?
Mohs surgery is an outpatient procedure performed under local anesthetic. Before the procedure begins, your doctor will numb the area so you remain comfortable. Then, the visible part of the tumor is removed, along with a thin layer of additional tissue.
A map is then created to show the exact orientation of the cancer on the skin. The cancerous specimen is examined by your surgeon under a microscope. Any residual skin cancer identified under the microscope is precisely mapped, and the surgeon returns to the patient to remove only the tissue that contains cancer. This procedure is repeated until 100% of the skin cancer is removed.
Once this is achieved, the skin is then repaired using reconstructive surgery to give the absolute best cosmetic result.
MOHS SURGERY CAN HELP WITH THESE CONDITIONS:
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