With more than a million new cases each year in the United States, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in America. It can affect the skin on any part of the body, but it most frequently occurs in areas where the skin has the greatest exposure to the sun. Once a you have been diagnosed with skin cancer, you and your doctor will want to make the best decision about which is the best course of action. In this article we will look at some of the many options available to treat skin cancer.
Types of skin cancer
First, it is important to know which type of skin cancer a patient has. The major types of skin cancer are:
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal cell skin cancer occurs in the basal cell layer of the skin and is the most common type of skin cancer in people with fair skin. It commonly occurs on areas of the skin that have been exposed to the sun, such as the face. It rarely spreads to other parts of the body.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma occurs in the squamous cells. It is the most common type of skin cancer in people with dark skin, who typically get it in places, such as the legs or feet, that have not been exposed to the sun. In people with fair skin, it usually occurs in sun-exposed areas such as on the face, head, ears and neck. Squamous cell skin cancer can spread to other parts of the body.
Melanoma
Melanoma is the most aggressive type of cancer and the most likely to spread to other parts of the body. Melanoma occurs in the melanocyte (pigment) cells of the skin, and can form on any part of the body, regardless of past sun exposure.
Skin Cancer treatments and recovery times
Treatment for skin cancer depends on the type, size, and location of the tumor. Most options include the removal of the entire growth and are effective forms of treatment. Removal procedures are usually simple, requiring only a local anesthetic in an outpatient setting. Some of the treatment options for skin cancer include the following:
• Freezing
• Excision
• Laser therapy
• Mohs surgery
Depending on the stage and severity of the skin cancer, in addition to removal of the growth, chemotherapy and radiation may be recommended.
Freezing
Your doctor may destroy actinic keratoses and some small, early skin cancers by freezing them with liquid nitrogen (cryosurgery). The dead tissue sloughs off when it thaws.
Excisional Surgery
This type of treatment may be appropriate for any type of skin cancer. Your doctor cuts out (excises) the cancerous tissue and a surrounding margin of healthy skin. A wide excision — removing extra normal skin around the tumor — may be recommended in some cases.
Laser Therapy
Lasers can be used to remove a cancerous or precancerous lesion. They do this by vaporizing the top layers of skin. Lasers have several advantages over conventional surgery. Laser surgery is faster. It can be used to treat multiple lesions or lesions that are on delicate areas. It takes less time to heal from laser surgery and the risk of infection is lower.
Mohs Surgery
This procedure is for larger, recurring or difficult-to-treat skin cancers, which may include both basal and squamous cell carcinomas. It’s often used in areas where it’s necessary to conserve as much skin as possible, such as on the nose.
During Mohs surgery, your doctor removes the skin growth layer by layer, examining each layer under the microscope, until no abnormal cells remain. This procedure allows cancerous cells to be removed without taking an excessive amount of surrounding healthy skin.1
We are here to help you live better, whether that means caring for your skin, elevating your look, or supporting your health and wellness goals now and in the future.
Luminary Dermatology is located in Sarasota, FL, where the sun is hot, beaches are bustling, and someone always forgets to wear their sunscreen. The multi-specialty group was founded by board-certified dermatologist and fellowship-trained Mohs micrographic surgeon Dr. Cary L. Dunn. We now provide patient-centered medical care to Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Homestead and Kendall areas of Miami, FL., and many other Southwest Florida communities as well as Midwest City, Oklahoma.
Our mission is to provide compassionate care to the people of our community and beyond, with excellence in service, quality, and accessibility.
To schedule your appointment please call 941-926-6553 or visit luminarydermatology.com.
Luminary Dermatology
941-926-6553
luminarydermatology.com
Reference:
1. Skin cancer (2020) Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Available at:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/skin-cancer/
diagnosis-treatment/drc-20377608