Mohs surgery is a technique used for the treatment of some types of skin cancer. According to the Fox Chase Cancer Center, it has a 99 percent cure rate and is effective when other procedures have failed.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the abnormal growth of skin cells. The three most common forms are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Of the three, melanoma is the most dangerous.
Symptoms
The primary symptom of skin cancer is a lesion that forms anywhere on the body. The type lesion or sore defines the type of cancer growing. For example, in basal cell carcinoma, the sore appears as a waxy bump, most often on your face, neck or ears. The most serious form, melanoma, presents as a large brown spot with darker specks inside of it.
Mohs Surgery
The concept behind Mohs surgery is to remove the lesion, layer by layer, until the last layer removed is noncancerous. The surgeon will start by marking the spot and then cutting just past the borders. Histology is performed on every layer removed to detect cancer, until one is clear.
Advantages
Mohs surgery is a form of microsurgery and utilizes the latest technology. More often than not, the cancer removal is successful and it offers the best chance of having no reoccurrences. Recovery is very quick and reasonably painless with a prognosis that is good. Performed in the surgeon's office, it takes less than one day.
Risks
There are risks with any surgery but with Mohs, they are minimal, limited mostly to infection. Reconstruction may be required to reduce scaring.
