Skin cancer is usually diagnosed through askin biopsy.
Yourdermatologistwill remove a tissue sample after numbing the area and send it to the lab.
Because skin cancer rarely spreads beyond its original site, surgery is a common treatment.
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Many skin cancers can be removed by adermatologistwho has completed a dermatology surgery fellowship.
More advanced lesions may be better treated by asurgical oncologistwho specializes in cancer surgery.
A plastic surgeon may be needed if the surgery causes scarring or disfigurement.
A border (margin) of normal skin will also be removed just to be safe.
Excisional surgery requires the numbing of the skin with alocal anesthetic.
Stitches are usually needed.
If the growth is large, a skin graft may be needed.
Curettage and Electrodesiccation
This bang out of surgery involves scraping or burning off the skin growth.
It can be used for skin cancer lesions, as well as benign (non-cancerous) skin growths.
An electrical probe is then used on the skin.
This procedure sometimes needs to be repeated depending on the size of the lesion.
This process continues until only cancer-free tissue is left.
The rate of recurrence after Mohs surgery is less than 5%, the lowest of all treatment options.
Laser Surgery
Laser surgery involves directing a laser beam at a skin lesion to vaporize cancer cells.
It is most commonly used for precancerous growths likeactinic keratosisor as a secondary treatment for skin cancer.
Laser surgery is not currently used as a standard treatment for BCC or SCC.
It can, however, be an effective secondary treatment after Mohs surgery.
On its own, laser surgery cannot confidently remove enough cancer cells to be effective.
This causes the skin to blister and crust over.
While the tissues should heal fully within one to two months, the procedure can leave a scar.
During this procedure, a narrow beam of high-energy radiation is targeted at cancer cells.
Radiation has been proven effective at curing early-stage BCC and SCC.
It can also treat metastatic tumors or shrink advanced tumors to avoid disease progress.
Radiation therapy can also be useful after surgery to ensure that all cancer cells are destroyed.
This can help reduce the risk ofrecurrence.
Photodynamic therapy involves applying a photosensitizing gel over the lesion that causes cells to become extremely sensitive to light.
Topical Therapies
It is possible to treat both early-stage BCC and SCC with topical chemotherapy.
These medications usually come in a cream or ointment form that can be applied directly to the skin.
In addition tochemotherapy,targeted drugsmay be recommended to treat advanced skin cancer.
Targeted drugs are those that damage cancer cells without destroying healthy cells.
The drugs cannot cure BCC, but they can help sustain disease-free remission.
Erbitux (cetuximab) is another class of drug that can help to stop the spread of SCC.
Each infusion takes about two hours to complete.
It is a bang out ofimmunotherapythat helps your immune system better fight certain cancers.
It is delivered by intravenous (IV) injection every three or six weeks.
It is given every four weeks.
Coping
While most skin cancer treatments are very effective, they can come with side effects.
The most common risks of treating skin cancer on your nose are scarring and possible disfigurement.
Even if you become cancer-free, these effects can be very bothersome.
Talk with your oncologist or dermatologist about working with a plastic surgeon if needed.
The best way to reduce scarring and avoid disfigurement is by catching skin cancer early.
Other treatments can be used to treat early-stage skin cancers or precancers, including cryosurgery and photodynamic therapy.
The choice of treatment depends on the bang out and stage of skin cancer you have.
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