What is Mohs Surgery?
Mohs surgery, a form of skin cancer removal in which the borders are examined by the surgeon microscopically while the patient waits, boasts a remarkable 99% cure rate for most basal and squamous cell skin cancers as well as a high cure rate for other rare forms of skin cancer. Since very little normal tissue is removed during the treatment, our surgeons are able to reconstruct most wounds with excellent cosmetic results.
Types of Skin Cancer Mohs Surgery Treats
Mohs surgery is primarily used to treat basal cell carcinoma and squamous
cell carcinoma. Superficial melanoma (in which abnormal cells are in the
epidermis only) can be treated with Mohs surgery with the aid of special
laboratory techniques. Other rare forms of cancer such as Merkel cell
carcinoma and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) can also be treated with Mohs.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
skin cancer. Basal-cell carcinoma or basal cell cancer (BCC). Schematic representation of skin. Melanocytes are also present and serve as the source cell for melanoma. The separation between epidermis and dermis occurs at the basement membrane zone.
This is the most common cancer with
approximately 725,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the U.S. It has a
low mortality rate and an excellent prognosis as it rarely spreads internally.
However, if left untreated, it will continue to destroy skin and deeper
tissues in the area resulting in a non-healing open wound and possible
disfigurement.
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)
Squamous-cell carcinoma or squamous cell cancer.
This is the second most common skin cancer
after BCC with approximately 700,000 new cases annually in the U.S.
Though the prognosis is generally excellent, an estimated 5,000-10,000
U.S. deaths from the disease occur each year in tumors with known
factors associated with a worse prognosis. For example, SCC tumors that
are bigger than a quarter, grow deeper than the subcutaneous fat layer,
grow inside large nerves under the skin, or have very abnormal poorly
differentiated cells have a higher chance of spreading and causing death.
About the Procedure
Mohs surgery is a highly specialized surgical procedure used to treat and remove common types of skin cancer.
It differs from other forms of skin cancer treatments by strategically using detailed mapping techniques and conducting a complete microscopic examination of all removed tissues. This allows our Mohs surgeons to exclusively target and eliminate all cancer cells and roots while preserving the surrounding healthy skin to minimize scarring and optimize healing potential.
The surgery is done in stages, including lab work, while you wait. This allows the removal of all cancerous cells for the highest cure rate while sparing healthy tissue and leaving the smallest possible scar.
