Skin Cancer

Skin Cancer Treatment Options

There are a variety of treatment options available for skin cancer. These options can include:

• Cryosurgery: uses extreme cold, produced by liquid nitrogen, to treat external tumors
• Curettage and electrodessication: surgical procedure to scrape and burn certain cancers off the skin
• Medicated creams
• Mohs surgery: a precise surgical technique that removes thin layers of cancer-containing skin until only cancer-free tissue is left
• Photodynamic therapy: uses a photosensitizer drug and a particular type of light to destroy cancer cells
• Radiation therapy (external beam therapy and brachytherapy)
• Surgery

Together, you and your doctor will determine your treatment plan based on the type, size, location and stage of your skin cancer. You will also want to consider your age, overall health and potential side effects in your decision making process.

If you have found a questionable spot on your skin, don’t delay. Visit your primary care physician or dermatologist as soon as you can. As long as the cancer is caught early, it has a high chance of being cured.

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in the US. With advances in medicine, and regular checkups, your primary care physician and dermatologist can provide you with the necessary screenings to watch for skin cancer. At the end of the day though, you are your skin’s first line of defense. Screen yourself regularly with the help of a hand mirror. If you notice a strange spot, call your doctor to have it examined.

In most skin cancer cases, a dermatologist can treat the two most common types: basal and squamous cell. SSM Health Cancer Care may be included in your care team if you have advanced stages of these cancers or if you’ve been diagnosed with melanoma.