Mohs surgery is considered to be the most advanced, precise skin cancer treatment available today. In fact, it has the highest cure rate (up to 99%) when compared to all other skin cancer treatments. As a result, it’s recommended for many skin cancer patients.
An Overview of Mohs Surgery
In Mohs surgery, the surgeon removes the skin cancer in stages. Just one layer is removed at a time, which enables the surgeon to remove cancer cells that develop downward without damaging the healthy surrounding tissue. The surgeon examines each layer of excised tissue under a microscope to identify any remaining cancer cells.
With this highly detail-oriented process, Mohs surgery doesn’t involve removing normal tissue around the cancer. This leaves the patient’s healthy skin intact while ensuring that all of the cancer is removed. As a result, Mohs surgery allows for less scarring and more precise results than other skin cancer treatments.
Who Should Consider Mohs Surgery For Skin Cancer Treatment?
Mohs surgery is a particularly good choice for:
- Large skin cancers
- Skin cancers that have poorly defined edges
- Skin cancers that are found in scar tissue
- Skin cancers that expand rapidly
- Skin cancers that recur or are at a high risk of recurring after previous treatment
- Skin cancers in difficult-to-access areas
- Skin cancers in areas with high aesthetic or functional importance (such as the face and hands)
- Skin cancers that form in lymphoma or organ transplant patients
- Skin cancers with an aggressive microscopic pattern
Mohs is widely considered to be the best available treatment for most basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, though it can also successfully be used for some melanoma cases.
Dr. Bowman at The Bowman Institute is a fellow of the American College of Mohs Surgery and completed an official Fellowship in Mohs Micrographic Surgery. To learn if Mohs surgery could be the right choice for you, schedule an appointment with Dr. Bowman today.