Basal cell skin cancer (also known as Basal Cell Carcinoma or BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer. It is a slow-growing cancer that occurs mostly in sun-exposed areas of the body, although it can occur in parts of the body that aren’t exposed to the sun, and rarely if ever spreads beyond the skin.

Squamous cell skin cancer (also known as Squamous Cell Carcinoma or SCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer. It also occurs mainly in sun-exposed areas. Unlike basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma can occasionally spread to the lymph nodes. Anyone who has had one tumor is also at increased risk of developing another.

Mohs surgery is a highly effective treatment for higher-risk tumors, such as those occurring in the head and neck or hands, large tumors, those with an aggressive microscopic growth pattern, recurrent tumors, or those occurring in an area previously treated with radiation therapy. It is the treatment of choice for these cases because it offers the highest cure rate while removing as little normal tissue as possible, resulting in the best cosmetic outcomes.

Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that originates in the melanocytes, or pigment-producing cells.  Although usually limited to the skin, it has the potential to spread to the lymph nodes and other parts of the body. Melanoma is highly curable if caught early, making timely detection and treatment crucial.

When melanoma spreads into the lymph nodes or other internal organs, it’s termed as “advanced melanoma.”  In these cases, treatment is provided by the Metastatic Melanoma Clinic. 

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and potentially aggressive form of skin cancer. Though MCC can grow and spread rapidly, it is highly treatable and curable if caught in the early stages.

Merkel cell carcinoma is best managed with the collaboration of multiple surgical and medical specialties offered in our Multidisciplinary Cutaneous Oncology Clinic. Our physicians offer experience and expertise in treating this disease at all stages.

Merkel cell carcinoma typically presents as a reddish or purple bump that can occur anywhere on the body, but is predominantly found in sun-exposed areas such as the head, neck, arms and legs. The risk of having the disease increases with age, and 95% of patients are over the age of 50. Being fair-skinned or immunosuppressed also increases your risk.

Merkel cell carcinoma is rare, accounting for much less than 1% of total skin cancer diagnoses, though the number of patients diagnosed with the disease is thought to have tripled over the past two decades. Approximately 1,500 people are diagnosed with the disease each year. 

For many non-melanoma skin cancers, such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, the preferred treatment option is Mohs micrographic surgery. In this precise procedure, a small disc of tissue is removed around the skin cancer and prepared for immediate microscopic evaluation. The Mohs surgeon checks all of the edges of what was removed for cancer cells, while the patient waits. Once the edges are cancer-free, the wound is repaired. The goal of Mohs micrographic surgery is to provide a high cure rate and to remove the cancer while leaving as much normal, healthy skin behind as possible.

Wide Local Excision (WLE) is a common surgical method used to treat melanoma, especially in its early stages, as well as certain basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers. In this procedure, the surgeon removes the entire lesion along with a small area of normal-looking skin around it. This extra skin—called a margin—is taken to help ensure that no cancer cells are left behind. For many people diagnosed early, this surgery alone can be enough to cure the skin cancer.

• From the National Comprehensive Cancer Network:
  • Guidelines for Patients®- Melanoma
  • Treatment Information - Basal Cell Skin Cancer
  • Treatment Information - Cutaneous Melanoma
  • Treatment Information - Merkel Cell Carcinoma
  • Treatment Information - Squamous Skin Cancer
• From the American Cancer Society:
  • Skin Cancer: Basal and Squamous Cell
  • Melanoma Skin Cancer
  • Merkel Cell Cancer