Treating Skin Cancer
Dec 31, 2020
While some people are more prone than others, skin cancer can affect anyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, or family history. While a cause for concern, most forms of skin cancer are highly treatable, but early diagnosis and intervention is key.
Dr. Jean-Denis Boucher of Lone Star State Dermatology Clinic in Live Oak offers skin cancer screenings and treatments for all types of skin cancers. If you have new or changing moles, lesions, or marks on your skin, this could indicate skin cancer. Our professionals are here to ensure you receive the proper diagnosis and care.
While Melanoma is the most severe type of skin cancer and potentially fatal, it is also the rarest. Moles that have changed in size or shape may indicate melanoma, which is prone to spread to other areas of the body. Fortunately, it is very treatable.
Basal cell carcinoma accounts for nearly 90% of skin cancers, and often appears as a tiny bump and can result from excessive UV ray exposure, whether from tanning beds or the sun. It is generally easy to treat and tends not to spread.
This form of skin cancer also results from UV exposure and develops in the fat cells near the surface of the skin. Squamous cell carcinoma is more likely to spread than basal cell carcinoma but is also very responsive to treatment.
All three types of skin cancer are most likely to develop in areas with receive the most sun exposure, including the face, neck, hands, or legs.
Your doctor at our Live Oak office will perform a visual exam before biopsying any areas of concern. If you are diagnosed with skin cancer, we offer both surgical and non-surgical treatment options.
Excision, used for cases of melanoma, involves the removal of cancerous growths and surrounding tissue using a small scalpel. A local anesthetic is applied to dull any discomfort you may feel during the procedure.
This surgical alternative involves removing the top layers of affected skin. This option is suitable for skin cancer that hasn't penetrated deep layers of the skin, like squamous cell carcinoma.
Another nonsurgical option, SRT-100 uses superficial radiation which only penetrates the surface of the skin. The rays are effective in disrupting the ability of the cancer cells to reproduce while causing minimal scarring to the skin.
This form of surgery is done in stages, with your doctor apply a numbing agent to the area before removing the visible skin cancer and then, progressively, thin layers of the surrounding skin. The removed skin will be examined under a microscope, with additional layers being removed as need until no skin cancer is present. Depending on the amount of skin removed, you may need stitches to close the wound.