Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, affecting one in five people globally. The two most common forms of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, impact the lives of over five million individuals in the United States each year.
As treatments for skin cancer continue to undergo research and testing, one effective option stands apart as the best treatment currently available. Mohs surgery delicately removes cancerous cells and prevents them from spreading and causing other forms of cancer throughout your body.
The skilled medical team at Dermatology Associates of Central New Jersey are specialists at diagnosing and treating skin cancer, including Mohs surgery. With locations in Old Bridge, Union, and Freehold, New Jersey, our talented surgeons can perform this surgery to remove skin cancer and protect your overall health.
Mohs surgery is formally known as micrographic surgery. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, It has the lowest recurrence rates, highest cure rates, and best cosmetic results of any skin cancer treatment.
First pioneered in the 1930s by Dr. Frederic Mohs at the University of Wisconsin, the surgery didn’t become mainstream until it was perfected in the 1970s and 1980s.
Mohs micrographic surgery is performed in stages. Your surgeon will first mark the area for treatment. They then administer a local anesthetic for your comfort. Once the treatment area is numbed, they remove a thin slice of the cancerous tissue.
After this, your surgeon takes the removed tissue to our own lab for testing. While you relax, they prepare the specimen and examine it under a microscope. The goal is to remove all the cancerous cells and leave as much healthy tissue as possible.
If cancer cells are still present, your surgeon will continue to remove more tissue at the site, until the specimen no longer shows cancer cells under the microscope. Then, you will be stitched, bandaged, and sent home with instructions for aftercare. In most cases, this simple process is completed in a single visit.
Mohs surgery is a low-risk procedure that is extremely effective for treating basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, and even many melanomas. Patients who are sensitive to medications or have poor immune systems handle the procedure well. Even those dealing with leukemia, lymphoma, or other illnesses can handle Mohs surgery.
With Mohs surgery, all testing is done while you wait, so you’re cancer-free when you head home. Mohs surgery removes cancerous cells down to the roots, while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible. The cure rate for Mohs surgery is between 93% and 99%.
The only way to determine if Mohs surgery is right for you is to schedule an evaluation with one of our skilled physicians at Dermatology Associates of Central New Jersey. They check your skin and investigate your medical history. They may also obtain a sample of tissue if skin cancer is suspected. Once a certain diagnosis is determined, they recommend the best treatment for you.
Contact Dermatology Associates of Central New Jersey today to schedule a consultation. Call our location most convenient for you or book an appointment online today.
