Leading Dermatologists Review Basal Cell Skin Cancer Treatment

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer with more than one million cases diagnosed each year. Basal cell carcinomas are rarely fatal, but can be highly disfiguring. Basal cell carcinoma is diagnosed following a skin biopsy. A person diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma faces a number of treatment options including excision, curettage and electrodessication, cryosurgery, Mohs surgery, photodynamic therapy (PDT), laser surgery, and topical medications, such as Aldara (imiquimod) and 5-FU.

Dermatologist Todd Minars of Minars Dermatology wrote, "There are a few criteria that we use when deciding who is appropriate for Mohs Surgery. This technique is usually used to treat high-risk or difficult basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. A few reasons for referring a patient for Mohs Surgery: location of tumor - if the tumor is in a location that makes it difficult to excise, for example on the nose (where there is very little tissue to work with) or on the face near an important structure like an eye..."

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