Mohs Surgery Treats Basal Cell Carcinoma

By Author: Leona Irving
Total Articles: 4
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Basal Cell Carcinoma is a type of skin cancer that starts in the basal cells . A basal cell is one that produces new skin cells as the older ones die. It will usually appear as a waxy looking bump but it does have other forms as well. The areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun for long periods of time such as arms, face and neck will be more prone to develop this type of cancer. The majority of basal cell carcinomas are believed to be caused by long term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Using a sunscreen or limiting the time spent in the sun may help avoid this disease. There is Basal Cell Carcinoma treatment in Los Angeles.
In the 1930’s Dr. Frederic Mohs developed a unique surgery procedure which has been named after him. It is a highly specialized procedure which the Basal cell carcinoma is removed one tissue layer at a time. After each layer is removed its edges are dyed and a frozen sample is created. Under microscopic evaluation more layers will be removed until the entire cancer is eliminated. It is somewhat compared to looking at the ...
... tip of an iceberg as the cancer grows downward and as each cancerous layer is removed the iceberg will eventually be gone.
While the Mohs surgery is a long procedure, it has the highest cure rate of 96 to 99% for Basal Cell Carcinoma. There is only a 1-4 % chance of the cancer to recur. The length of the procedure will vary among patients as it will take about an hour for each layer to be analyzed. The procedure is performed using local anesthetic and there is very little pain. Most physicians will allow the patient to bring a friend along to talk with so the long procedure is not too boring.
Depending on the individual there will probably be a small scar after the procedure but after during the follow-up visit the surgeon will recommend a dermatologist or other skin specialist for its removal or cover-up.
People with skin cancer can find many treatment centers that offer Mohs micrographic surgery in Los Angeles. The patients home physician will probably recommend a near by specialist but a quick visit to the Google Search Engine will show many Mohs Surgery doctors and their location.