Mohs micrographic surgery is the most effective skin cancer treatment with the highest reported cure rate – 99% for cancer that hasn’t been previously treated, and 94% for recurrent cancer.

Named for Dr. Frederic Mohs, the surgeon who developed the procedure in the 1930s, Mohs surgery removes the cancerous tissue while minimizing scarring and damage to the surrounding skin. Doctors perform the surgery in several steps by first removing a layer of tissue, then examining the specimen in a lab while the patient waits. They repeat the process until no cancer cells remain.

Mohs surgery is an outpatient procedure conducted in one visit with local anesthesia, and the surgeon’s precision ensures that all margins are fully examined, healthy tissue is preserved, and scarring is minimized. Doctors who perform Mohs surgery receive specialized training as surgeons to remove the cancerous tissue, pathologists to analyze each specimen in the lab, and reconstructive surgeons to close the wound.

This surgery is typically reserved for cancers that have a high recurrence rate or that have recurred following treatment.

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How it works.

Some skin cancers can be deceptively large, growing far more extensively under the skin than they appear on the surface. We call this cancer’s “roots,” which can reach into the skin or along blood vessels, nerves, and cartilage. Skin cancers that have returned after treatment may grow these roots deep under scar tissue.

Mohs surgery is designed to remove skin cancer on the surface and deeper below your skin without harming normal skin tissue. Mohs surgery is effective for treating skin cancer in areas where preservation of healthy tissue is critical for cosmetic or functional purposes – facial areas like the nose, eyelids, lips, ears, and hairline, as well as the hands, feet, and genitals.

The steps of Mohs surgery include:

• Skin examination and site preparation.
• Removal of top layer of tissue.
• Lab analysis.
• Microscopic tissue examination.
• Repeated tissue removal until no cancer cells remain.
• Wound repair, which may involve stitches, skin flap/graft, or reconstruction.
• Post-treatment recovery.

To schedule an appointment, call us at 321.361.5606.