Treatment for Skin Cancer
Treatment for skin cancer depends on the type and stage of disease, age and general health.
The patient may receive treatment that is considered standard based on the results obtained by several patients in past studies, or may choose to participate in a clinical trial. Not all patients are cured with standard therapy and some standard treatments may have more side effects than are desired.
For these reasons, clinical trials are designed to find better ways to treat cancer patients and are based on the latest information. They are conducting clinical trials in some parts of the country for patients with skin cancer.
BASAL CELL CARCINOMA OF THE SKIN
The patient may be one of the following treatments:
- Micrographic surgery. Where the cancer is removed and the least amount of normal tissue as possible. During the process, the doctor removes the cancer and then uses a microscope to analyze the area of surgery and ensure that it is not any cancer cells.
- Surgery that removes the skin cancer and some surrounding healthy tissue.
- Electrodesiccation and curettage. Operation in which electrical current is used to dehydrate the tumor (electrodesiccation), and then used a specialized instrument called a curette, to remove the tumor.
- Cryosurgery. Surgery that involves freeze and kill cancer.
- Radiotherapy.
- Laser therapy. This procedure uses a highly concentrated beam of light that destroys only cancer cells.
- Topical chemotherapy.
- Clinical trials of chemoprevention.
- Clinical trials of biological therapy.
- Photodynamic therapy technique that uses photosensitive drugs to kill cancer.
It is important to have regular skin examinations so that cancer can be treated if they were to come back (recurred).
SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA OF THE SKIN
The patient may be one of the following treatments:
- Micrographic surgery. Where the cancer is removed and the least amount of normal tissue as possible. During the process, the doctor removes the cancer and then uses a microscope to analyze the area of surgery and ensure that it is not any cancer cells.
- Surgery that removes the skin cancer and some surrounding healthy tissue.
- Electrodesiccation and curettage. Operation in which electrical current is used to dehydrate the tumor (electrodesiccation), and then used a specialized instrument called a curette, to remove the tumor.
- Cryosurgery. Surgery that involves freeze and kill cancer.
- Radiotherapy.
- Topical chemotherapy.
- Laser therapy. This procedure uses a highly concentrated beam of light that destroys only cancer cells.
- Clinical trials of biological therapy with or without chemoprevention therapy is important to have regular skin examinations so that cancer can be treated if they were to come back (recurred).
ACTINIC KERATOSISI
The patient may be one of the following treatments:
- Topical chemotherapy
- Cryosurgery. Surgery that involves freeze and kill cancer.
- Electrodesiccation and curettage. Operation in which electrical current is used to dehydrate the tumor (electrodesiccation), and then used a specialized instrument called a curette, to remove the tumor.
- Removing the outer layer of skin with a special machine (dermabrasion).
- Scrape the outer layer of skin (excision of scratch).
- Laser therapy. This procedure uses a highly concentrated beam of light that destroys only cancer cells.
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Once cancer of the skin, further testing to determine if cancer has spread. This is called staging. The doctor needs to know the stage and type of skin cancer to plan treatment. The following stages are used for classification of treatment.
Skin cancer is a disease in which cells are cancerous (malignant) in the outer layers of the skin. The skin protects the body against heat, light, infections and wounds. It also stores water, fat and vitamin D.