Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It develops in the cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color. Melanoma is one of the most common cancer types in the U. S. Roughly 2% of people will be diagnosed with melanoma of the skin at some point during their lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Treatment for early stage melanomas usually includes surgery to remove the melanoma. Mohs surgery is a precise surgical technique used to treat skin cancer. During Mohs surgery, thin layers of cancer-containing skin are progressively removed and examined until only cancer-free tissue remains.
“Mohs surgery is essentially skin cancer removal,” explains Dr. Nahid Vidal, a dermatologic surgeon at Mayo Clinic. “It’s a surgical removal process that’s highly specialized, where we’re removing the skin cancer with a goal of not only removing all of it, but also leaving behind as much healthy tissue as possible.”
Mohs surgery allows surgeons to verify in real time through pathology that all cancer cells have been removed at the time of surgery. This increases the chance of a cure and reduces the need for additional treatments or additional surgery.
On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Vidal discusses skin cancer and the use of Mohs surgery to treat early stage melanoma.
Watch: Dr. Vidal discuss Mohs surgery for melanoma.
Republished with permission [/vc_message]
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
