Skin Cancer Treatments Q & A

What happens at my skin cancer treatment consultation?

After your dermatologist diagnoses your skin cancer, the next step is to find out what stage it’s in. They may test the cancer with a biopsy alone or they may test your lymph nodes to see if the cancer has spread.

Cancer stages are indicated with Roman numerals that span from I to IV. Early stages have not yet spread and are confined to one small area, while later stages may indicate cancer cells are present in other areas of your body.

Once the stage of your skin cancer is diagnosed, your doctor is able to create a treatment strategy with the best possible outcome.

What skin cancer treatments are available?

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, so there are many treatment options available.

Your skin cancer treatment plan at SCN Dermatology may include these and other treatments:

Freezing

In the early stages of skin cancer, your dermatologist can kill the cancerous tissue by freezing it with liquid nitrogen. After a few days, the dead tissue falls off your skin.

Excision

During excision, your dermatologist cuts out your skin cancer and some skin around it to be safe. This works for any type of skin cancer.

Mohs surgery

Mohs surgery is a procedure reserved for large or recurring skin cancer. During Mohs surgery, your dermatologist removes and tests one small layer of cancerous tissue at a time, only stopping when all of the cancer is removed.

Radiation therapy

During radiation therapy, high-powered beams of radiation energy penetrate your skin cancer cells to kill them. It is often used after a surgical method to destroy any remaining cancer cells.

Chemotherapy

There are many types of chemotherapy, but they all use drugs to kill your cancerous cells. If the cancer is only on the surface of your skin, your doctor may give you a topical cream. If it has spread, your dermatologist administers the drugs into your bloodstream.

How can I prevent myself from needing skin cancer treatments in the future?

If your skin cancer has been successfully eradicated, there are a few steps you can take to lower your chances of getting skin cancer in the future. As usual, you should always protect your skin from direct sunlight with sunblock and stay away from tanning beds. You can also get skin cancer screenings once or twice per year as directed by your dermatologist at SCN Dermatology.

If you have skin cancer or simply a suspicious mole, call SCN Dermatology or book an appointment online to get a skin cancer treatment plan today.