A number of advanced dermatology screening tests are available today to diagnose skin cancers. Following a confirmed diagnosis, the treatment provider may recommend Mohs surgery to address the condition.
Suncoast Skin Solutions, led by board certified dermatologist Dr. Christopher Ewanowski, provides poignant, accepted, and sagacious skin care treatments to patients in Tampa, Brandon, Lutz, Seminole, Riverview, Brookesville, Winter Haven, Daytona Beach, Largo, St. Petersburg, Ocala, The Villages Central Florida, Florida, and surrounding locations across this landscape.
Skin Cancer Screening – Key Points
- Various tests are used to screen different types of cancer.
- Undergoing a skin examination for skin cancer screening has not been proven to reduce a patient’s probability of dying of skin cancer.
- Clinical trials are evaluating other screening tests.
Tests are Used in the Screening of Different Types of Cancer
Certain screening tests are used as they have been proven to be effective in detecting cancers in their early stages and in reducing the possibility of a person dying from these cancers.
Others tests are used due to their proven ability to detect cancer in some people. But clinical trials outcomes have not indicated that these tests will reduce the risk of dying from cancer. Scientists analyze screening tests to identify those with the least risks and most advantages.
Mohs Surgery
This surgery is used in the treatment of skin cancer and has some unique advantages. The surgeon can determine where the cancer stops during this surgery. With other types of treatment for skin cancer, this is not possible.
The ability to determine where the cancer stops has two vital benefits:
- Mohs surgery has a high cure rate.
- It enables the patient to keep as much normal skin as possible as the surgeon removes only the skin with malignant cells. This factor is vital when skin cancer forms in an area which as little underlying tissue such as the ear, eyelid, or hand.
When is Mohs surgery recommended?
A majority of Mohs patients have a common form of skin cancer such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or basal cell carcinoma (BCC). This surgery is typically recommended when an SCC or BCC:
- Covers a substantial area or is aggressive
- Occurs in a site with little underlying tissue such as the nose, ear, eyelid, genitals, scalp, hand or foot.
- Has recurred after being treated previously
In addition, Mohs is also used to address certain rare skin cancers such as DFSP, extramammary Paget’s disease, and Merkel cell carcinoma.
Can Mohs treat Melanoma Effectively?
The answer is, yes. Dermatologists, at times, recommend Mohs surgery for treating melanoma which is the most serious form of skin cancer. Mohs is used to address only early melanoma, and it must be a type of melanoma known as lentigo malignant melanoma. This melanoma remains close to the skin’s surface for some time.
In the treatment of melanoma, the surgeon employs a modified Mohs surgery technique known as slow Mohs. It is referred to as slow due to the fact that the patient must wait for a longer duration for the outcomes. The surgeon cannot always view the excised skin and assess if it contains cancerous cells and more time is required.
In a slow Mohs procedure, the surgeon will excise the visible skin cancer and some margin of healthy skin surrounding it. Then the patient will be bandaged and sent home.
A majority of patients come back the next day. At this time, the patient learns if more skin must be removed or the wound can be sealed. Some wounds are left to heal by themselves.
SunCoast Skin Solutions Dermatology offices are located in Tampa / Hillsborough, St. Petersburg / Pinellas County, Brandon, Lutz (2 locations), Winter Haven, Largo, Riverview, Brooksville, Ocala, Largo at Bardmoor, Daytona Beach, Sarasota, and Palm Harbor, Florida. Contact us at 1-844-786-3376 or click here.
Recent Comments