What Are the Advantages of Mohs Surgery?
- Posted on: May 15 2022
Mohs surgery is a procedure designed to help with the treatment of skin cancer.
Named after Frederic E. Mohs, the founder and creator of the procedure, a dermatologist performs the Mohs surgery. The surgeon removes the visible portion of the cancer and some of the surrounding skin, then divides the tissue into color-coded sections that indicate which part of the body they took the skin from.
The medical professional examines all tissues under a microscope to see if there’s any evidence of remaining cancer cells and if any are present, the patient will have to undergo another procedure. In the next procedure, the surgeon removes tissue only from the areas with remaining cancer cells.
Patients will continue undergoing Mohs surgery procedures until there is no evidence of cancer cells left.
Is Mohs Surgery Effective?
According to a clinical study the National Institute of Health conducted, the Mohs surgery cured about 95% of people who had normal skin cancers within six years. The study did find that there was a recurrence rate.
This procedure allows dermatologists to leave the majority of the surrounding healthy tissue intact, which can minimize the patient’s scar. The method used for this surgery also helps the dermatologist effectively locate the “roots” of the cancer and lower its chances of coming back.
Is Recovery Difficult?
Doctors usually perform Mohs surgery as an outpatient procedure, meaning patients can go home the same day. The procedure isn’t more painful than the other skin cancer excision options.
Is Mohs Surgery Right for Me?
Surgeons use Mohs surgery to treat skin cancers in areas with significant healthy tissue. The surgery can also treat basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and more unusual skin cancers.
This procedure is best for skin cancers that are large and aggressive, have previously recurred or are likely to recur, have ill-defined borders and irregular growth patterns or are located in a spot where you’d like to minimize scarring.
To schedule a consultation, contact the American Society for Mohs Surgery at 714-379-6262 or fill out a contact form here.
Posted in: MOHS Surgery
