If you’ve ever been diagnosed with skin cancer, you know it’s not something to be taken lightly. Thankfully, skin cancer is very treatable as long as it’s caught early. Doctors generally recommend Mohs surgery for treating skin cancer, because of its high cure rate. But what exactly is Mohs surgery?
What is Mohs Surgery
Mohs surgery also known as Mohs micrographic surgery is a highly specialized surgical technique that is used to treat skin cancer. It has become the ‘gold standard’ for removing basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which are the two most common forms of skin cancer.
Mohs surgery was developed in the 1930’s by Dr. Frederic Mohs, while at the University of Wisconsin. Since that time the procedure has undergone valuable improvements, and today is recognized as a state-of-the-art treatment. The goal of Mohs surgery is to remove cancer while leaving as much healthy tissue intact as possible.
What’s involved in Mohs Surgery
Mohs surgery is typically done as an outpatient procedure under local anesthetic. The cancer is removed in stages, as a thin layer of skin tissue is excised each time. The edges of the skin tissue are color coded to create a map of the area from which the specimen is taken. The skin tissue is examined under the microscope, and if any cancer cells are identified, another thin layer of tissue is removed from the mapped area. This process is continued until no more cancer cells are seen.
Would you like more information on Mohs Surgery? Search our directory to find a practice in your area.
If you are in Englewood or the greater Denver, CO area, Colorado Skin & Vein is our featured practice.
You can reach them at www.coloradoskinandvein.com, or by calling (720) 594-5063.