Patients in Edmonds ask, “What is Mohs Surgery for skin cancer?”
Mohs Micrographic Surgery is heralded as the most effective treatment for the majority of skin cancers. Developed by Dr. Frederick Mohs, the procedure has a remarkable 99% cure rate for patients with basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, the two most common forms of skin cancer.
It has been estimated that more than 3.5 million individuals in the United States were diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer last year. Many of those cases involve the face, which can cause even greater trauma for the patient.
Over the years, leading surgeons have refined the Mohs Micrographic Surgery procedure, making it the most advanced and precise way to remove a tumor without harm to healthy tissue surrounding the tumor.
Dieter Schmidt, MD, FAAD, FACMS, at North Sound Dermatology, serving Edmonds, WA, and neighboring communities with five offices, is a fellowship-trained Mohs Micrographic Surgeon and is double board-certified in dermatology. As one of just two fellowship-trained Mohs Surgeons in the county, Dr. Schmidt has earned several peer-reviewed awards, including ‘Top Doctors’ in Seattle Metropolitan Magazine and ‘Best Doctors in America.’
During Mohs Micrographic Surgery, Dr. Schmidt precisely removes each layer of skin and microscopically examines it until he reaches clear margins, which are cancer-free, healthy tissues. As a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon, Dr. Schmidt is trained to interpret skin pathology, as well as perform facial reconstruction after the cancer has been removed.
Advantages of Mohs Micrographic Surgery include:
- The highest cure rate for the most common types of skin cancer
- The greatest possible amount of surrounding healthy tissue is saved using this surgical technique, thereby optimizing the cosmetic results of the reconstruction
- Pathologic evaluation of 100% of the surgical margin at the time of surgery ensures that Mohs has the highest cure rate of any type of skin cancer treatment
For more information about skin cancer treatments, including Mohs Micrographic Surgery, please contact North Sound Dermatology at 1-425-324-3494 today.
