Skin cancers can be prevented and can also be treated effectively
We at Mt Hawthorn Medical Centre in Mt Hawthorn offer a variety of surgical procedures that can effectively remove the patient’s skin cancer. The type of procedure will be selected based on the type of skin cancer, the size of the cancer, its location on body, and the patient’s pre-existing conditions.
The operation will be done in a special location at our clinic, and with the use of local anaesthetics. The following are some of the selections for surgical procedures on skin cancer:
Curratage and electrodisiccation
The cancer cells are scrapped using a long yet thin instrument with currette (a sharp and looped edge on the tip). Afterwards, the area is saturated with an electrode coming from a needle to kill the leftover cancer cells.
Excision
This procedure involves cutting off the cancerous tumours from the skin using a surgical knife. The cut will then be stitched back together.
Mohs surgery (microscopically controlled surgery)
Often used in skin cancers with higher risks of returning, this procedure is the most complex and time-consuming as it involves removing layers of the skin to be viewed on the microscope. The procedure is repeated until the medical practitioner sees the dissipation of cancer cells.
Note:
In some cases, we may recommend that the surgery be followed up by other therapies (i.e. radiation or chemo) particularly for those skin cancers that have a high risk of spreading to other parts of the body.