Mohs surgery, developed by surgeon Frederic E. Mohs in 1938, has become the gold standard for treating skin cancer. This microscopically controlled surgery is not only effective in removing common basal cell carcinomas, but it can also treat other rare types of skin cancer. What are the secrets behind the high success rate of this technology?
According to several studies, the cure rate of Mohs surgery for primary basal cell carcinoma is between 97% and 99.8%.
The core of Mohs surgery lies in its microscopic techniques. During the operation, each time tissue is removed, the patient needs to wait patiently because the surgical team needs to check whether the removed tissue still contains cancer cells. This examination result directly affects the subsequent tissue resection decision.
By precisely controlling the resection margins and preserving more healthy tissue, Mohs surgery greatly reduces the possibility of recurrence.
According to the 2012 American Academy of Dermatology guidelines, the specific process of Mohs surgery is as follows:
The success rate of Mohs surgery is not fixed. Factors that affect its healing rate include the accuracy of cell examination, the size of the lesion, and the patient's health status. It is worth noting that tumor structures that are difficult to detect or tumors that have been previously treated may have a higher recurrence rate.
While a number of factors may contribute to variations in healing rates, most experts agree that the overall healing rate for Mohs surgery remains very high.
Compared with traditional surgery or radiotherapy, Mohs surgery has incomparable advantages in margin control. Many experts believe that this is because Mohs surgery can fully examine 100% of the margins of the surgical area, greatly reducing the possibility of residual cancer cells.
It has been observed that the overall demand for skin cancer surgery has continued to increase over the past decade, which has also led to the widespread use of Mohs surgery. As medical technology advances, the accessibility of this surgery continues to grow, and patients have more options.
ConclusionThe success of Mohs surgery is closely related to its efficient edge control technology, which means that many patients can achieve higher healing rates with less trauma. However, before choosing surgery, do patients understand other possible treatment options and choose the one that is best for them?