Mohs Micrographic Surgery Overview
Mohs Micrographic Surgery is the most advanced and effective treatment procedure for many types of skin cancer. The procedure is performed by specially trained surgeons who have completed at least one additional year of fellowship training (in addition to the physician's three-year dermatology residency) under the tutelage of a Mohs College member. Initially developed by Dr. Frederic E. Mohs, the Mohs procedure is a state-of-the-art treatment that has been continually refined over 70 years. With the Mohs technique, physicians are able to see beyond the visible disease, to precisely identify and remove the entire tumor layer by layer while leaving the surrounding healthy tissue intact and unharmed. As the most exact and precise method of tumor removal, it minimizes the chance of re-growth and lessens the potential for scarring or disfigurement. Because the physician is specially trained in surgery and pathology, Mohs surgery has the highest success rate of all treatments for skin cancer – up to 99%. The Mohs technique is also the treatment of choice for cancers of the face and other sensitive areas as it relies on the accuracy of a microscopic surgical procedure to trace the edges of the cancer and ensure complete removal of all tumors.
About Mohs Micrographic Surgery: Effectiveness
Mohs Micrographic Surgery is an effective and precise method for treating basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers.Because the Mohs Micrographic Surgery process surgery features a systematic microscopic search that traces skin cancer down to its roots, it offers the highest chance for complete removal of the tumor while sparing the normal tissue surrounding it. Clinical studies conducted at various national and international medical institutions – including the Mayo Clinic, the University of Miami School of Medicine and Royal Perth Hospital in Australia – demonstrate that Mohs surgery provides five-year cure rates exceed 99% for new cancers, and 95% for recurrent cancers.
The Mohs Micrographic Surgery Process
Mohs surgery is usually an outpatient procedure performed in a physician's office. Typically, it starts early in the morning and can be completed the same day, depending on the extent of the tumor and the amount of reconstruction necessary. Local anesthesia is administered around the area of the tumor so the patient is awake during the entire procedure.