Find out why Mohs surgery is most often used to treat melanoma.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with skin cancer, our Bend, OR, dermatologist, Dr. Gerald Peters, may have recommended Mohs surgery. If so, you may want to learn more about this procedure and its unique benefits. Here’s what you should know,
What is Mohs Surgery?
Mohs surgery is a procedure performed in several stages to remove cancerous cells from the skin successfully. One benefit of Mohs surgery is that it has a very high cure rate while preserving more healthy tissue than other traditional skin cancer removal techniques.
During Mohs surgery, we will first administer local anesthesia to the area. Once the area is numb, we will carefully remove the first layer of cancerous tissue. This tissue is examined under a microscope to check for cancerous cells. From there, we will then remove another layer from the lesion.
We will continue removing a thin layer of tissue, examining it under the microscope to ensure that cancer cells are still present, and then going back to remove additional tissue if necessary. We will continue this process until no more cancer cells remain.
What are the benefits of Mohs surgery?
Mohs surgery is indeed more time-consuming than other skin cancer treatment options; despite how long the procedure takes, there is a reason that our Bend, OR, dermatologist often recommends it. There are several reasons, in fact. Here are some of the fantastic benefits of Mohs surgery,
A Very High Cure Rate
Mohs surgery is often recommended to remove skin cancer because it has a cure rate of nearly 99 percent, higher than other treatment options.
Less Likely to Recur
Along with a high cure rate, another benefit of Mohs surgery is that it removes all cancer cells, which means that the cancer is less likely to return.
A Less Visible Scar
Mohs surgery is a very conservative procedure. Due to the nature of the surgery, you’ll end up with a much smaller and less visible scar than you might with other skin cancer treatment options.
Ideal for More Delicate Regions
When you discover skin cancer on your eyelid or your ear, you may be worried about any disfigurement that could come from having cancer removed from these areas that already don’t have much skin to lose. The good news is that Mohs surgery is incredibly conservative regarding removing tissue, which means removing all cancerous tissue while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible.
Whether you have questions about your upcoming Mohs surgery or you suspect that you might have skin cancer, our Bend, OR, dermatologist Dr. Peters is here to help. To schedule an evaluation, call Peters Dermatology Center at (541) 323-7546.