Surgery – South East Dermatology
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Surgery

SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR SKIN CANCER

There are multiple options available to treat skin cancer.

Options include

SKIN BIOPSY

CURETTE AND CAUTERY

SKIN EXCISION

MOHS SURGERY

 

SKIN BIOPSY

  • There are three types of skin biopsy
    • Shave biopsy
      • These biopsies are useful for skin cancer
      • No sutures are required

 

  • Punch biopsy
    • These are useful for Rashes and inflammatory skin issues.
    • A deep (to fat) core sample (usually 3-4 mm) is taken .
    • The site may or may not be closed with a suture.

 

  • Excisional / incisional biopy
    • When a larger sample is required

Often used for potential melanoma.

 

CURETTE AND CAUTERY

  • This is an option for superficial forms osbasal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (egbowens disease)

 

  • Description of procedure
    • The area is numbed with an injection of anaesthetic
    • A looped curette is used to remove the tumour until normal skin is visualised. The base is cauterised using a hyfrecator.
    • The process is repeated.

 

SKIN EXCISION

  • Excision of skin cancer remains the Gold standard treatment for skin cancer.
  • Lesions are removed with a margin determined by your Dermatologist based on tumour characteristics.
  • With the correct margins excision cure rates are around 95% or greater.
  • South East Dermatology Stafford has two purpose built theatres.

 

MOHS SURGERY

  • This is a specilised surgery where the surgeon examines the entire edge of the excised lesion at the time of surgery.
  • If there is residual tumour the surgeon removes then involved area only.
  • Cure rates for this surgery approach 98-99%
  • Your Dermatologist will advise whether MOHS surgery is the best treatment and can organise referral.