Mohs surgery, also known as chemosurgery, is a specialized type of procedure that is used to help treat certain types of skin cancer. In Mohs surgery, frozen section histology is used at a microscopic level to eradicate cancerous cells. While this type of treatment is more expensive than some other types of skin cancer treatment options, it is nonetheless one of the most popular treatments in certain cases (particularly those involving the eyelids, lips and other sensitive areas). Read on for a few of the many reasons to choose Mohs surgery to treat skin cancer.
1. Wide Array of Conditions
Mohs is available to treat a wide variety of different types of skin cancer. While it is most commonly used to treat basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, it can also be used for a number of other types of cancerous growths. These include different kinds of melanomas, spindle cell tumors, sebaceous carcinomas, angiosarcomas and more. The effectiveness rate for each of these types of cancers is somewhat different, so it's a good idea to speak with a doctor about whether Mohs surgery may be the best option.
2. Degree of Specificity
One of the primary benefits of Mohs surgery over virtually all other types of skin cancer treatment options is that it can be used with a very high degree of specificity. This means that, because it is microscopically controlled, it can be used to address cancerous cells only, and is very good at leaving healthy cells untouched. While this specificity of the treatment is one of the many reasons that Mohs surgery is expensive, it also means that it's a great way to address skin cancer on sensitive and small parts of the body, like ears, nose, lips and eyelids, without damaging those body parts any more than is necessary.
3. High Success Rate
With basal cell carcinomas, the success rate of treatment with Mohs surgery is above 97 percent. Squamous cell carcinomas are slightly lower but still have a success rate of above 90 percent. Even with more difficult types of cancers, the success rate still tends to be quite high because of the degree of specificity that is achieved with the Mohs method.
4. Good Cosmetic Results
Many people are concerned about the way that skin cancer treatments will cause their body to look. Mohs surgery is one of the best options in terms of leaving the affected area of your body free of scars and other signs of cancer or treatment. It will generally need to be combined with some type of cosmetic surgery in order to achieve the best results, but this option is not even available to many patients of other types of cancer surgery.
Mohs surgery is not always the best option for the treatment of skin cancer. For that reason, it's important to always discuss all of your options with a knowledgeable and trusted doctor before you commit to any particular type of treatment.
