Skin cancer is not an exception from other types of cancer. As a result, early diagnosis and treatment are essential for effective treatment before advancing to its final stage. Therefore, routine skin cancer screening is recommended to help your care provider design an effective treatment plan before it is too late. Suppose you have been diagnosed with skin cancer Coral Gables and want to try a certain treatment option; it would be best if you understood each method before making up your mind. Below are a few ways of treating skin cancer. Understating some factors that determine the type of treatment a cancer patient will receive is key. Some factors include the type of skin cancer, the part of the body where the cancer is located, the likelihood of cancer returning or spreading, the stage of cancer, and how deep and long the tumor is after obtaining a biopsy. Standard treatments recommended include:
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Surgery
Usually, various surgical procedures can be performed while treating skin cancer. The first one is simple excision, which involves removing the tumor with some normal cells around it. Mohs micrographic surgery involves the removal of the tumor in layers, and each layer of the skin is examined under a microscope to check for skin cancer cells. The layers are removed until no more cancer cells are seen. Other types of surgery include cryosurgery, shave excision and curettage, and electrodesiccation. Each procedure is performed differently, and it is the role of your care provider to help you understand which one is effective for you and why.
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Chemotherapy
It is a treatment option that involves using cytotoxic drugs to kill cancer cells. In most cases, if your skin cancer is limited to the top layer of the skin, topical anticancer lotions or creams are applied directly to your skin. However, systemic chemotherapy is recommended if cancer has spread to other body parts. It can also shrink the tumor, especially if it has spread to certain organs before surgical removal.
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Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy involves using a machine that releases high-energy beams, such as x-rays, to kill cancer cells. In most cases, this treatment is used when cancer cannot be removed completely during surgery or when the tumor is too large to be removed.
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Photodynamic therapy
Photodynamic treatment is used to treat actinic keratoses and skin cancer. It is a treatment option that involves the injection of a special chemical onto your skin or into a vein. After you are exposed to light, the chemical is activated, and your care provider then shines laser light onto cancer cells which activates the drug to kill cancer cells while minimizing harm to healthy cells.
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Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy involves the use of liquid nitrogen to destroy and freeze cancer cells. It is commonly used to treat small areas of skin cancer or actinic keratosis. After treatment, the affected skin area swells and blisters before it crusts and heals.
The are various effective treatment options available to treat skin cancer. You can schedule your appointment at Martha Viera Dermatology today if you have skin cancer and are seeking treatment.
