Mohs Surgery: Q&A
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Is Mohs Surgery Overreaching for a Tiny Basal Cell Cancer?
One of my friends told me that she has heard that doctors are overreaching with Mohs for very tiny basal cell cancers. She said I should just treat it with Efudex instead of going through Mohs and plastic surgery to close it. Also, if I do have Mohs and plastic surgery - how long before I can play golf? Maddie
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7 Doctor Answers |
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mmbisulca
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Mohs for small basal cell cancers
Mohs is a very specialized surgery which is indicated for treatment of certain skin cancers based on their size, biologic behavior, location, and if they are in high risk areas or are already recurrent. Alternative treatments may be appropriate for a BCC if it does not fit the guidelines. You will need to discuss these with your dermatolgist and make an informed decision based on information received. As much as I love 5FU for treatment of precancerous actinic keratoses I...
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EXCISION byVillar
Single basal cells should be biopsied and removed surgically to be sure the cancer has been completely excised. MOHs or conventional excision depends on specific indications. If the wound is surgically closed by a plastic surgeon you will be back on the golf course in a few days. Efudex is used for extensive precancerous lesions and extensive superficial basal cell lesions that make surgical excision unfeasible. The problem with treating actual basal cell cancers with...
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Mohs surgery for small basal cell cancers
Mohs surgery is a specialized procedure that enables the surgeon to remove the skin cancer with the highest cure rate and lowest recurrence rate all the while sparing as much normal skin as possible. Having said that, it is not alway indicated for every basal cell cancer. However, it would be helpful to know where your skin cancer is located. Is it located on the face? Specifically on the "mask" area like accross the nose, around the mouth, eyes and the ears. ...
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Alternative treatments for basal cell skin cancer
There are many alternative treatments to basal cell carcinoma. Generally Mohs is reserved for poorly defined cancers on the face. Alternatives do include excision, EDC, and Aldara. You must rely on your surgeon to recommend best option for you.
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Is Mohs necessary?
Mohs is a very specialized surgery that is required for specific types and locations of BCCs. It is not required for all BCCs. Some can be removed with a currette, or other excision, or Efudex, and sometimes you do need Mohs. It depends on what the biospy shows - the location, depth, and width of the BCC. What we think of as a "very tiny BCC" may have roots under the skin; this is when Mohs is used. Efudex is effective only for very superficial BCCs. It cannot penetrate deep enough into the...
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Indications for Mohs Surgery
There are many good indications for Mohs surgery including recurrent skin cancers, locations on areas important for tissue preservation and at higher risk of recurrence (e.g. nose, eyelids, ears, lips), aggressive types of skin cancer (e.g. morpheaform, infiltrative basal cell carcinoma), large size, poorly defined margins, immunosuppressed patients.
Best option is to discuss with your dermatologist what is the best option for you and for your skin cancer and why. Mohs provides the...
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Mohs surgery has a set of criteria that should be met
You ask a very sophisticated question. There are many treatment options for basal cell cancer. Mohs surgery has the highest cure rate of any of the treatment methods but is only appropriate for certain types of Basal Cell Cancers, generally speaking, ones located on a critical area of the face, ones that are over a certain size on the body or ones that have been treated and have come back. The decision to undergo Mohs surgery is one most Mohs surgeons undertake after making sure the patient...
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Stamford Dermatologic Surgeon
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