Mohs Surgery for skin cancer

Mohs Micrographic Surgery is an advanced treatment process for skin cancer that offers the highest possible cure rate for many skin cancers and simultaneously minimizes the sacrifice of normal tissue. This cutting-edge treatment requires the surgeon to work closely together with the pathologist in order to achieve the best possible outcome.

The microscopic analysis of resected tissue allows the surgeon to track the removal of the cancer and ensure the complete elimination of all tumor roots. As tumors often extend below intact normal skin this procedure allows the surgeon to see beyond the visible tumor to ensure its complete removal. 

The technique is most often used to remove the two most common forms of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The cure rates for Mohs Surgery are higher than 99% for most primary (untreated) cancers with a slightly lower cure rate for secondary or recurrent (previously treated) cancers. While limiting the sacrifice of uninvolved tissue, this specialized procedure preserves the greatest amount of normal tissue. This preservation of healthy tissue around the resected tumor may be very important in order to perform the best possible reconstructive option that may limit scarring and avoid permanent disfigurement.