More than three million people are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer annually in the United States. Since sun exposure and indoor tanning are responsible for the majority of these cancers, they tend to occur on highly visible parts of the body, such as the neck and head. This can make surgical treatment cosmetically challenging and potentially disfiguring. A decades-old technique called Mohs surgery is gaining in popularity for providing superior cosmetic results, a lower recurrence rate, and the highest cure rate for these types of skin cancer.
What is Mohs Surgery?
The Mohs procedure is a form of micrographic surgery that was developed by Dr. Frederic Mohs in the 1930s. The technique became mainstream in the 1970s and 1980s for the treatment of skin cancer affecting the head and neck. The technique involves removing the visibly cancerous tissue one thin layer at a time. The sample is sent to a lab where it is examined under a microscope for the presence of cancer cells. If there are any cancer cells remaining, the doctor removes another thin layer of tissue from the area where the cancer cells remain. This process is repeated until the tissue margins are completely cancer-free. The incision is then closed and bandaged, and the patient is free to leave.
Benefits of Mohs Surgery
Although it may take several hours, the Mohs technique allows the treatment to be completed in one visit. The patient does not have to wait days for pathology results and undergo multiple visits to ensure that all of the cancer has been removed. Traditional excision only allows for 1 percent of the tissue margins to be examined microscopically while Mohs ensures that 100 percent of the margins are examined. This reduces the rate of recurrence and provides a 98 percent cure rate. The Mohs technique also preserves more of the surrounding healthy tissue, which leads to less scarring and disfigurement.
Who is a Candidate for Mohs?
The Mohs technique is recommended for high-risk non-melanoma skin cancers of the eyelids, nose, ears, lips, feet, hands, and genitals. The technique is also effective in treating cancers with hard-to-visualize borders, unusual growth patterns, or that recurred or did not respond to other treatments. It is also a front-line treatment for cancers previously treated with radiation or that occur near scar tissue. The technique may also be beneficial for patients with compromised immune systems or who have a genetic condition that predisposes them to skin malignancies.