Excision of Skin Cancers

Excision of Skin Cancers

Skin cancer is most commonly seen in sun-exposed areas of your skin — your face (including your lips), ears, neck, arms, chest, upper back, hands, and legs. However, it can also develop in less sun-exposed and more hidden areas of skin, including between your toes, under your fingernails, on the palms of your hands, soles of your feet, and in your genital area.

There are three main types of skin cancer:

• Basal cell carcinoma.
• Squamous cell carcinoma.
• Melanoma

Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the most common types of skin cancer and are sometimes called “non-melanoma skin cancer.”

Melanoma is not as common as basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas but is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. If left untreated or caught in a late stage, melanomas are more likely to spread to organs beyond the skin, making them difficult to treat and potentially life-limiting.

Fortunately, nearly all skin cancers can be cured if found and treated early. Treatments include excision, cryotherapy, Mohs surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

Surgery for Basal and Squamous Cell Skin Cancers

Surgery is a common treatment for basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers. Different surgical techniques can be used. The options depend on the type of skin cancer, how large the cancer is, where it is on the body, and other factors. Most often the surgery can be done in a doctor’s office or hospital clinic using a local anesthetic (numbing medicine). The tumor is then cut out with a surgical knife, along with some surrounding normal skin. Most often, the remaining skin is then carefully stitched back together. This type of surgery will leave a scar.

For skin cancers with a high risk of spreading, surgery sometimes will be followed by other treatments, such as radiation or chemotherapy.

Depending on the size of the site being treated, surgical excision generally takes anywhere between 30 to 90 minutes. Most wounds take 1 to 3 weeks to heal. If a large area of skin was removed, you may have a skin graft. In that case, healing may take longer. Some soreness around the site of the wound is normal.