Mohs surgery, also called Mohs micrographic surgery, is a highly effective and surprisingly old technique for removing skin cancer. It was developed by Dr. Frederick Mohs back in the 1930s. It has an extremely impressive cure rate of over 98 percent for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, the two most common types of skin cancer. Whether you are dealing with skin cancer in Orange County or elsewhere, Mohs surgery could work for you.
What Does the Procedure Involve?
Mohs surgery is an extremely thorough and meticulous procedure that could take hours. It is generally an outpatient procedure. It is similar to a conventional excision in that the surgeon will remove the tumor along with a margin of seemingly healthy tissue. But while the surgeon performing an excision simply sends the tissue to a pathology lab for analysis, the surgeon performing Mohs surgery analyzes the sample on-site. If the surgeon finds more cancer cells in the healthy-looking part, another layer of tissue will be removed and analyzed. The surgeon repeats the process until all of the tissue samples come up cancer-free.
The strength of the Mohs procedure lies in its meticulousness that greatly reduces the chances of the surgeon missing any cancerous cells. It also reduces the amount of healthy tissue that a surgeon needs to remove. After the surgeon has removed all of the skin cancer, the area will be closed.
What Kinds of Skin Cancer Can Mohs Surgery be Used to Treat?
Mohs surgery is the treatment of choice for “high-risk non-melanoma” skin cancers. A high-risk cancer is one that develops on a sensitive or cosmetically important area like the face, hands, genitals or feet. Mohs surgery may also be recommended for:
• Cancers with borders that are hard to see
• Large cancers in areas that are normally considered low-risk
• Cancers that weren’t completely removed by an earlier treatment
• Cancers that have recurred
• Cancers with certain microscopic growth patterns
• Cancers on patients with compromised immune systems
Seeking Skin Cancer Treatment in Orange County
If you have skin cancer, the most important thing that you need to remember is the sooner you seek treatment, the better. As such, get in touch with our experts in Orange County as soon as possible. During a consultation at Coastal Dermatology & Plastic Surgery, you can get all the facts regarding your skin cancer treatment options. We have locations in Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Tustin, Mission Viejo and Los Alamitos. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to learn more!
