Once your doctor has biopsied a questionable area of skin and diagnosed either basal or squamous cell cancer, you may face several treatment options.
Your Skin Cancer Dermatology Team
If your skin cancer is not too advanced, you will probably be treated by your dermatologist, who specializes in the treatment of skin diseases. More advanced cancers may require the services of a medical, surgical, or radiation oncologist, depending on how your cancer will be treated.
Local treatments for basal and squamous cell cancer
If the cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes, your doctor may be able to treat it without cutting into the skin.
These treatment options include
- Cryotherapy, or freezing the tumor with liquid nitrogen
- Topical chemotherapy, where a cancer drug is applied directly to the tumor
- Laser surgery, which vaporizes the cancer cells with a beam of light
- Chemical peels, which uses a chemical to kill the cells over a period of several days.
Some of these treatments may need to be repeated for maximum effectiveness. Most cancers and pre-cancers can be treated using these methods or minor surgery.
Surgical treatments available in Orange County
When the cancer is confined to the top area of the skin, your doctor may use curettage and electrodissection. Ths involves scraping the affected area with a sharp instrument and then destroying remaining cancer cells with an electric needle. This procedure will leave a scar.
In high-risk areas, such as near the eyes, ears, fingers or on the face, doctors may opt for Mohs surgery to save as much healthy skin as possible. With this procedure, the skin is removed one layer at a time and examined for cancer cells.
Skin grafting or reconstructive surgery may be needed if the cancer is large enough that the skin can’t be stretched to cover the wound.
Other treatments available at OC Skin Institute
Depending on the type and stage of your growth, doctors may choose other treatments, including
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Targeted therapy, which uses drugs that attack the gene changes in cancer cells.
Be sure to discuss your treatment options and possible side effects with your doctor.
OC Skin Institute’s professionals can help if you’ve been diagnosed with basal or squamous cell cancer. Call us today for an appointment