3 Types Of Skin Cancer Treatments

11 August 2021
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Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, and can be officially diagnosed by a medical doctor after a biopsy has confirmed the presence of malignant cells. If you have recently received a diagnosis, you should know that while there are dozens of different treatments for skin cancer, the one that is best for you will depend on a number of factors. Your doctor will likely take several things into consideration: the type of skin cancer, its location, and the extent to which it has spread. To get a better sense of the skin cancer treatment options available, take a look at three of the most common ones below.

Excision Surgery

One of the more basic types of skin cancer treatment is excision surgery. This involves cutting into the affected area and removing the cancerous mole, tumor, or lesion. A moderate amount of healthy skin is also removed to lower the risk of the cancer spreading yet again. Excision surgery is a preferred method by doctors for many reasons. It is quick and effective, usually taking no more than a couple of hours to complete. It is also painless, as the area being cut into is numbed with anesthesia. If you have melanoma or basal cell carcinoma, this may be a treatment option available to you.

Mohs Surgery

Mohs surgery is similar to excision surgery, but it is used in cases where more precision is needed. This is often the case when the cancerous cells affect a part of the body where there is only a thin layer of skin, such as under the eyes or on the neck. During the surgical procedure, the doctor will carefully remove the skin in layers, inspecting each one's cellular structure until they are confident that no abnormal cells remain. Both basal and squamous cell carcinomas can be treated with Mohs surgery.

Radiation Therapy

In situations where surgery is not sufficient, radiation therapy is often used as an alternative or supplementary method of treating skin cancer. Radiation treatment involves shooting beams of X-rays or electrons into the skin in the hopes of completely killing cancerous cells. In certain cases, doctors may recommend their patients undergo radiation therapy post-surgery as a preventative measure to ensure the cancerous cells do not return. Consult with your doctor about the treatment options that are available to you and which ones are best suited to your present condition.