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Are All Mohs Surgeon Qualified to Deal with DFSP Tumor?

asked 2 years ago by Hope for a cure in Raleigh NC
Latest answer by Shawn Allen, MD
Question viewed 821 times
Tags: nose, cancer, skin

Who is the most qualified MOHS surgeon that can deal with DFSP (Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberan) on the face?

Hi, I had a MOHS surgery on my face to remove a DFSP tumor about 2 years ago. The surgeon missed to reove one piece of tissue under my nose that I felt was DFSP.

This week, my surgeon went to the same place and had a biopsy and found out that the tissue I was talking about was DFSP.

Should I seek a second opinion or should I find a specialist that deals with this type of cancer? Thanks Thanks

4 answers to Are All Mohs Surgeon Qualified to Deal with DFSP Tumor?

+2

Who is most qualified to treat DFSP

Fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon are recognized as the experts in skin cancer management.  To be a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon requires a year long training period after board certification in Dermatology in what is called cutaneous (skin) oncology (study of cancer). As part of becoming certified the fellowship trained Mohs surgeon is required to perform over 500 Mohs cases in the year, perform complex reconstruction with grafts or flaps of the surgical sites, and manage complex... more
Shawn Allen, MD

Boulder Dermatologist
+2

DFSP is a rare tumor

DFSP is a fairly rare tumor. Experience of the Mohs surgeon is going to be very important. Academic centers are more likely to encounter DFSP's on a regular basis. It is important that you find a Mohs surgeon who has been trained in a fellowship. These individuals have seen the volume of cases necessary to encounter DFSP. Because DFSP can have quite a bit of tumor extension (fingers of tumor growing under the skin), you may require a significant reconstruction since this is on your... more
Brent Spencer, MD

Frisco Dermatologic Surgeon
+2

DFSP and Mohs

Dear Hope for a cure, DFSP is a notoriously difficult tumor to treat. First, because it is an aggressive tumor and second, because it recurs often. Mohs is the best way to go because it is a tissue sparing technique (the surgeon can look at the tissue while you wait). Given the location, you may want to go to a place where the DFSP can be cleared with Mohs and then you can have facial plastics reconstruction. The problem is that few people will flap an area of DFSP because it can hide... more
Kavita Mariwalla, MD

New Haven Dermatologic Surgeon
+2

DFSP

Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans characteristically behaves more aggressively each time it recurs. One of the problems of having this lesion on your face is common to skin cancer in general. That is, the surgeon is more reluctant to take a wide margin. Moh's has become increasingly utilized as a treatment for DFSP. Many Moh's Surgeons like to do what is called "slow Moh's". They combine the benefits of frozen sections ( slides are made from fresh tissue at the time of... more
Arnold R. Oppenheim, MD

Virginia Beach Dermatologist

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