Excision of Benign and Malignant Lesions
At the Bowman Institute for Dermatologic Surgery in Tampa Bay, Dr. Bowman and his team focus on one core mission: the effective prevention and treatment of skin cancer.
Benign and malignant lesions must be identified and removed as quickly as possible to prevent the development of aggressive skin cancer.
What Are Benign Lesions?
Many skin growths are cancerous, but not all. Non-cancerous skin growths are known as benign skin lesions. Though they’re not immediately dangerous, they have the potential to evolve into malignant lesions in the future.
This is why it’s so important for your dermatologist to carefully examine your skin and identify benign lesions as they develop. If the potential for malignancy can’t be ruled out, a biopsy or surgical excision is performed to prevent the development of skin cancer in the future.
Benign lesions share many of the same characteristics, including:
- Symmetrical color and shape
- Stable or slow changes
- No spontaneous bleeding
If Dr. Bowman discovers a benign lesion on your skin during an appointment, he will thoroughly evaluate its origins to determine whether biopsy or removal is necessary.
What Are Malignant Lesions?
Unlike benign lesions, malignant lesions pose a serious and immediate threat to your health. Malignant lesions contain cancerous cells that invade surrounding tissues. If a malignant lesion is not removed, it may spread into the bloodstream, lymph nodes, or other critical areas of the body.
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of malignant lesion; it accounts for 80 percent of all primary skin cancers. This slow-growing lesion is often found on the face and exposed skin surfaces.
Squamous cell carcinoma causes about 20 percent of all skin cancer lesions. This form of cancer is more likely to spread than basal cell carcinoma and usually develops on skin exposed to long-term sun damage.
Melanoma is the most serious type of malignant skin cancer because it’s more likely to spread to other areas of the body. If Dr. Bowman discovers signs of a malignant lesion like melanoma on your skin, he takes immediate action to remove the lesion with precise Mohs micrographic surgery.
Excision of Skin Lesions Using Mohs Micrographic Surgery
Dr. Bowman specializes in excising benign and malignant lesions from the skin. Unlike the traditional excision procedure that removes the lesion and a perimeter of healthy skin, Dr. Bowman performs Mohs surgery instead.
Mohs micrographic surgery is considered the gold standard of care for skin cancer and skin lesions. When done by a highly trained and experienced dermatologist like Dr. Bowman, Mohs surgery offers up to a 99 percent cure rate.
Mohs surgery removes cancerous or precancerous tissue one layer at a time but never removes an additional “margin” of normal tissue. In every Mohs surgery he performs, Dr. Bowman microscopically examines 100 percent of excised tissue edges. This type of careful examination helps him guarantee that the targeted tissue is entirely removed without leaving any cancer cells behind.
To schedule a comprehensive skin examination or lesion excision, call (813-977-2040) to speak to an expert at the Bowman Institute for Dermatologic Surgery.
The Bowman Institute is pleased to provide the communities surrounding
Wesley Chapel, Brandon, Land O' Lakes, Lutz, Lakeland, Clearwater, and
St. Petersburg with the most advanced skin cancer treatments including Mohs surgery.
