Mohs Surgery: Q&A

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BCC on Side of Nose - Mohs or Laser Removal?

I have a BCC in the left side of the base of my nose.I m 33yo, my mother just removed the same BCC on the same place, with Mohs surgery. Results are great and healing process fast. After my research, I am facing a dilemma. Should I do Mohs or a laser removal (2mm around the BCC)? Is it possible with Mohs to transfer cancerous cells through the blood stream to other parts of the body or in the blood circulation?

11 Doctor Answers | Asked by PhillipGr in Greece
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Mohs surgery is the number one choice to treat a basal cell carcinoma on the nose

You have two indications to treat your Basal cell carcinoma with Mohs micrographic surgery. One is the location.  The nose is an area in which basal cell carcinoma is more apt to recur after standard therapies, such as scraping and burning (curettage and electrodesiccation), freezing with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy), laser treatment of photosensitized skin (photodynamic therapy) or burning it with laser (laser ablation), excisional surgery which requires a 4 millimeter margin to get a... more
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What Treatment for Basal Cell Carcinoma on the Nose

First off, performing Mohs surgery or a biopsy or any type of surgery to your skin cancer is not going to spread it through your body. So don't be concerned about that... Second, Mohs surgery provides the highest cure rate and preserves the greatest amount of normal or healthy tissue. Both of these are very good considerations when you're thinking about treating a skin cancer on the nose. Laser ablation of superficial skin cancers may be fairly good, but you won't... more
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Mohs surgery

It is often tempting to consider non surgical options for treating skin cancer. However, mohs surgery is clearly the winner here. The most important thing you can do is to remove the bcc in its entirety the first time... and mohs is the best and most conservative way to do that.

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Mohs for skin cancer removal

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer.  While it typically does not spread to another part of the body, it can be locally destructive.  A Mohs procedure is the treatment of choice to ensure that all of the abnormal cells are removed.  With laser treatment, it is not possible to be sure that the skin cancer has been completely eradicated.
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MOHS Is the most effective option for treating skin cancer

With the Mohs Surgery, your surgeon provides the most precise method for removal of the cancerous tissue, while sparing the greatest amount of healthy tissue. For this reason, the Mohs surgery may result in a significantly smaller surgical defect and less noticeable scarring, as compared to other methods of skin cancer treatment. I recommend the Mohs Surgery for the removal of skin cancer in areas where maximum preservation of healthy tissue is desirable for cosmetic and functional purposes,... more
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Mohs or laser for BCC on the nose

Mohs surgery would provide the highest cure rate because of the concise manner in which the tissue is removed, stained and viewed under a microscope in order to see exactly where the skin cancer cells are located. This technique allows the surgeon to map out exactly the skin cancer and remove it completely while also being a tissue-sparing technique. The advantage of Mohs is you would have confidence that the skin cancer was removed while also leaving behind the smallest scar... more
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Mohs surgery for basal cell on the nose

Mohs surgery would be the treatment of choice for skin cancer on the nose. I would recommend this procedure over any other initially.
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Mohs vs laser

Basal cell carcinomas are very common the nose. The treatment of choice would be Mohs micrographic surgery, giving you the highest cure rate. Most Mohs surgeons are trained in reconstruction, and if you needed, will send you to a plastic surgeon for closure of the defect/hole. The end result would be removal of the tumor, with sparing of the normal tissue.
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BCC and Mohs

There are many different ways of treating a BCC, depending on the type. If it is very small and superficial BCC then Aldara might be a great option, giving the fact that you understand that the cure rate is not 100% and recurrence may occur. Mohs is the gold standard but will leave a scar. It has the highest cure rate of 98 percent. Mohs, if performed correctly, will not spread the cells through the blood stream.  In fact, the point of Mohs is to make sure that you get the entire skin... more
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Mohs for nose?

Choosing a treatment for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) involves balancing the cure rate, and expected cosmetic result.  For example creams (such as Aldara) can cure some superficial BCC with a cure rate of 75-80% in some cases.  Because recurrent BCC can be much more difficult to treat, many people usually favor the approach with the highest cure rate which for your tumor would be Mohs surgery.  Your consulting Mohs/dermatologist can give you some idea of what the... more
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These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.

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