Skin Cancer Awareness Month is a reminder to pay attention to changes in your skin. This month is also a chance to understand how treatable many skin cancers are when caught early.
If you’ve been diagnosed with basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma, Glenn Kolansky, MD, FAAD, who is double board-certified and fellowship-trained in Mohs surgery, may recommend Mohs surgery. In fact, Mohs surgery offers cure rates of up to 99% for certain skin cancers.
Read on as the Advanced Dermatology Surgery & Laser Center team explains how this treatment works.
Mohs surgery is a specialized procedure used to treat common types of skin cancer, including basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas.
Unlike traditional excisional surgery, which removes a visible tumor along with a margin of surrounding tissue in one excision, Mohs surgery is performed in stages. Each layer of tissue is removed and examined under a microscope in real time.
This allows Dr. Kolansky to precisely track and remove cancer cells while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible.
Mohs surgery was invented by Dr. Frederick Mohs in the 1930s. Since then, it’s been used to treat basal and squamous cell carcinomas with a 99% cure rate for new cancers and a 94% cure rate for recurrent cases.
Here’s why it has such high cure rates:
This is one of the biggest reasons Mohs surgery is so effective: Dr. Kolanskry can thoroughly check all tissue margins of any removed tissue.
With standard excision, only a small percentage of the margins are examined. With Mohs surgery, nearly 100% of the surgical margins are reviewed.
This means:
That level of precision dramatically reduces the chance of recurrence.
Mohs surgery isn’t a one-and-done removal. Mohs surgery is a step-by-step process.
Dr. Kolansky removes a thin layer of tissue, examines it, and maps exactly where cancer cells remain. Then, only the affected areas are treated in the next stage.
This approach:
Even better: This kind of precision and thoroughness can give you peace of mind.
Mohs surgery is often recommended for skin cancers located in areas where preserving tissue is critical. This includes your face, ears, nose, or hands.
Because the technique is so precise, it helps maintain function and appearance while still achieving excellent cure rates.
The combination of precise removal and immediate microscopic evaluation leads to one key outcome: lower recurrence rates.
For primary basal and squamous cell carcinomas, Mohs surgery has cure rates approaching 99%. Even for recurrent cancers, cure rates remain significantly higher than many other treatment options (94%).
Mohs surgery is typically performed in our office in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, under local anesthesia.
You’ll remain awake while the procedure is done in stages. After each layer is removed, you’ll wait while the tissue is examined. This process repeats until no cancer cells are detected.
Most procedures are completed in a single visit.
Once Dr. Kolansky has removed all cancerous tissue, he closes the wound. This may involve sutures, a skin graft, or other reconstructive techniques, depending on the size and location of the treatment area.
Though Mohs surgery is highly effective, the best outcomes still come from early detection. If you notice a new, changing, or non-healing spot on your skin, call 732-204-8311 to schedule your skin exam at our Tinton Falls, New Jersey, office.
