What You Need to Know About Melanoma & Skin Cancers
There are more than three million cases of skin cancer in the United States each year. The number of cases has increased at such a fast rate that now over half of all new cancers are skin cancers. If you’ve spent a lot of time in the sun, or even if you haven’t, an annual skin check is an integral part of your preventive self-care regimen.
What is skin cancer?
Skin cancer, like other forms of cancer, is a collection of abnormal cells that are starting to grow alongside healthy skin cells. Sometimes the cancerous cells look like a regular mole, either flat or raised, making both self-exams and professional medical exams important on a regular basis so any cancerous growth is identified as early as possible.
Types of skin cancer
The most common type of skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma, which accounts for 80 percent of all cases of skin cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma is the next most frequent form and represents about 16 percent of the total. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, the so-called “non-melanoma skin cancers,” are not usually life-threatening and can be cured with early detection and treatment.
Malignant melanoma, also referred to simply as melanoma, is the third most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 4 percent of all skin cancers. Melanoma is a much more serious type of skin cancer because of its potential aggressive growth and metastasis (spread to other parts of the body).
MOHS Treatment Protocols for Skin Cancer
Mohs micrographic surgery (also known as Mohs chemosurgery) is a state-of-the-art treatment for skin cancer in which the diseased area is removed with the accuracy and precision of a microscope. Of all techniques to remove skin cancer, Mohs micrographic surgery has the highest cure rate and minimizes the extent of scarring.