Named for the physician who pioneered this technique, Frederick E. Mohs, Mohs surgery has the greatest success rate for common skin cancers. That’s not the only reason why Mohs surgery is a great option for skin cancer removal. Let’s discover all its benefits.
What Is Mohs Surgery?
Mohs surgical treatment is designed to remove cancerous growths and lesions with higher accuracy and precision than traditional techniques. Here Goodless Dermatology removes thin layers of skin one at a time. The tissue is then examined under a microscope for signs of cancer.
This process continues one layer at a time until there are no signs of cancer in the tissue.
Patients wait as the layers are examined so it can take a few hours to complete the surgery.
The goals of Mohs surgery are as follows:
- Remove the cancerous tissue
- Minimize the chance of its return
- Preserve as much skin as possible
How Is Mohs Surgery Performed?
The patient is given local anesthetic so they feel no pain during the procedure. It is performed as an outpatient surgery. The patient waits comfortably as each layer of tissue is examined.
Benefits of Having Mohs Surgery
The most valuable benefit of Mohs surgery is its success rate of 98-99%, whereas other excisions have a 93-95% cure rate.
Other benefits include the following:
- It evaluates surrounding tissue more thoroughly than traditional techniques.
- This type of surgery is best for cancers that are hard to treat, are large, have recurred, are aggressive, or in a sensitive area like the face, neck, fingers, and genitals.
- It is less invasive and has less scarring.
- It is a more precise surgical technique.
- The surgery spares as much healthy skin as possible.
Best Candidates for Mohs Surgery
Mohs surgery can treat basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and most other cancerous lesions. Patients with early stage melanoma and recently diagnosed are best candidates. Early diagnosis means it has not spread to organs.
Someone with a large lesion, an aggressive one growing quickly, or someone with a suppressed immune system are good candidates for this technique.
Having Mohs surgery allows you to leave the day of the procedure knowing your results. No waiting, you know you are cancer free.
Contact Goodless Dermatology at (407) 566-1616, or request an appointment online, for an appointment at our office in Celebration or Orlando, FL if you have a lesion and wish to explore Mohs surgery.