The main treatment options are divided into surgery and non-surgical options. Treatment plans are tailored to the individual patient according to their medical profile. Most Skin Cancer treatments require only a local anesthetic and can be done in an outpatient setting. Sometimes no treatment is necessary beyond an initial biopsy that removes the entire growth.
Surgery
Surgery is the most common form of treatment and usually definitive for certain forms of Skin Cancer. During the surgery, the cancer and surrounding tissue is removed. A follow-up procedure for skin coverage (skin graft or skin flap) may be necessary.
Surgical options include:
- Wide local excision with appropriate margins
- Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS)
This procedure is for larger, recurring or difficult-to-treat Skin Cancers, which may include both basal and squamous cell carcinomas. Your doctor removes the skin growth layer by layer, examining each layer under the microscope, until no abnormal cells remain. This procedure allows cancerous cells to be removed without taking an excessive amount of surrounding healthy skin. Because it requires special skill, the surgery should be done only by specially trained doctors.
Certain early cancers may be treated by locally ablative procedures.
These procedures include:
Curettage and desiccation
After removing most of a growth, your doctor scrapes away layers of cancer cells using a circular blade (curette). An electric needle destroys any remaining cancer cells. This simple, quick procedure is common in treating small or thin basal cell cancers. It leaves a small, flat, white scar.
Cryotherapy
Your doctor may destroy actinic keratoses and some small, early Skin Cancers by freezing them with liquid nitrogen (cryosurgery). The dead tissue sloughs off when it thaws. The treatment may leave a small, white scar. You may need a repeat treatment to remove the growth completely.
Non-surgical options
Non-surgical options may be applicable for certain forms of cancer or patient profile. They include:
Topical agents
Radiation therapy
Radiation may be used to destroy basal and squamous cell carcinomas if surgery isn't an option.
Chemotherapy
In chemotherapy, drugs are used to kill cancer cells. For cancers limited to the top layer of skin, creams or lotions containing anti-cancer agents may be applied directly to the skin. Topical drugs can cause severe inflammation and leave scars. Systemic chemotherapy can be used to treat skin cancers that have spread to other parts of the body.
Targeted therapy/Immunotherapy for certain advanced skin cancers