How Is Localized Skin Cancer Treated?
Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancers, but it is also one of the most treatable, especially if it is localized. Localized skin cancer is skin cancer that has not spread beyond the affected area of skin. There are a few different ways to treat localized skin cancer, and all of them have excellent cure rates above 80%. The treatment will depend on your doctor and the type of skin cancer.
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Things You'll Need
- Excision tools Curettage tools Liquid nitrogen Microscope Surgical laser Doctor who has experience with treating skin cancer
Instructions
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Excision is simply cutting out the tumor, usually along with a tiny bit of surrounding tissue, just to be on the safe side. This is usually done with both benign tumors (not cancerous) or malignant tumors, which are cancerous. Sometimes it is also done with moles or suspicious-looking spots on the skin that could possibly turn cancerous.
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Cryosurgery is another way doctors remove small cancerous or precancerous growths. This procedure freezes the area with liquid nitrogen, thus killing the cancer cells. It is a painless procedure, although the area around the cancer may become painful and swollen after the cancer freezes and falls off and the area thaws out.
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Curettage combines two treatment methods: First, cancerous tissue is removed with a sharp tool called a curette, then the area is treated with electrodessication, which dries out the remaining tissue. Electrodessication applies an electrical current to the area, which stops the area from bleeding and dries out and kills any cancer cells that may be remaining.
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Mohs surgery may be performed on localized skin cancer. This is a type of microscopic surgery. The goal is for the doctor to remove as much of the cancerous tissue as possible, while leaving the healthy tissue. To do this, thin layers of tissue are removed and examined under a microscope for cancel cells. If cancer is found, more tissue is removed, and this is repeated until all cancerous tissue has been removed.
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Laser surgery is sometimes used on localized skin cancer, although it is rare. In laser surgery, an electronic device is used to destroy cancer cells with an intense beam of light that cuts cancerous tissue away and cauterizes the healthy tissue.
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Tips & Warnings
Examine your body regularly for suspicious-looking spots or moles. See a doctor if you are concerned about a suspicious-looking spot or mole. Use sunscreen to protect your skin and reduce the chance of skin cancer.
If a large amount of skin cancer is removed, a skin graft may be needed.
Resources
- Photo Credit dsf.chesco.org
