Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the US, so that’s the reason why the spotlight has been turned on skin cancer treatment in the last couple of years. In the US, the rate of this type of cancer is rising among people of color, therefore sun protection awareness campaigns are increasingly being focused on these groups. Common treatments for skin cancer include Mohs surgery, Cyrotherapy, and excisions.
There are several types of skin cancer, with the most common being basal cell carcinoma or BCC. BCC refers to abnormal lesions that arise in the basal cells that are found deep in the epidermal layer of the skin.Squamous cell carcinoma is another type of skin cancer. It develops in the squamous cells that are on the outer part of the epidermis. These cancers often occur on those areas of the body most often exposed to the sun.
Skin Cancer Treatment
- Mohs surgery is used to treat a variety of skin cancers. During the procedure, thin layers of skin tissue are removed and examined under a microscope,and this will show up any cancer cells present. If they are there, then the surgeon will continue removing layers of tissue until a clear sample turns up. Surgery ends when a clear sample appears.
- Cyrotherapy, also known as Cyrosurgery is a type of skin cancer treatment that involves freezing cancerous skin lesions, and then destroying them. This is done by spraying very cold liquid nitrogen onto the abnormal cells. Patients may experience minimal pain when the nitrogen is applied to the skin, and there may also be some aching and throbbing. The area may blister, and fluid may need to be drained off. Cyrotherapy is often done in conjunction with other treatment options.
These skin cancer treatments generally have a very high success rates.