What makes skin cancer unique — compared to other types of cancer — is that it begins externally. Unless it spreads beyond the skin, skin cancer can be easily treated with a simple outpatient surgery or procedure. As long as skin cancer is caught and treated early, it can be more easily and effectively treated than most other types of cancers.
If you’ve been diagnosed with skin cancer — especially a non-melanoma skin cancer or an early-stage melanoma, which are treated similarly — here is what you can expect for the procedure and recovery.
Dr. Minkis is a dermatologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, an associate professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, and an associate attending dermatologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
References
Alam, M., et al. (2018). Guidelines of care for the management of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Basset-Seguin, N., et al. (2020). Update on the management of basal cell carcinoma. ActaDermato Venereologica.
American Cancer Society. (n.d.). Treating basal and squamous cell skin cancer.
American Cancer Society. (2023). What are basal and squamous cell skin cancers?
National Cancer Institute. (2023). Skin cancer treatment (PDQR)-patient version.
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