Skin Cancer Treatment
Lake Loveland Dermatology specializes in the care and prevention of skin cancer and related disorders. For skin cancer, a dermatologist is the doctor best able to diagnose and select the most appropriate method of treatment. Only after carefully assessing the aggressiveness of the cancer under a microscope can the most appropriate treatment be selected. Some cancers are best treated by simple means such as freezing, curetting and dessication. Other cancers are best treated by excision and suturing. With our on-site, state-of-the-art dermatopathology lab, we get the results quickly and can determine the best treatment right away.
The roots of a skin cancer may extend beyond the visible portion of the tumor. If these roots are not removed, the cancer will recur. A surgery starts with the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) specialist examining the visible lesion and planning what tissue to remove. The patient then receives local anesthesia, and the Mohs surgery begins.
The surgeon removes the visible portion of the tumor using careful surgical techniques.
The ACMS surgeon next removes a deeper layer of skin and divides it into sections. With the help of technicians, the surgeon then color-codes each of these sections with dyes and makes reference marks on the skin to show the source of the sections. A map of the surgical site is then drawn to track exactly where each small portion of tissue originated.
In a laboratory, the surgeon uses a microscope to examine the undersurface and edges of each section of tissue in search of evidence of remaining cancer.
If the surgeon finds cancer cells under the microscope, he or she marks their location on the "map" and returns to the patient to remove another deeper layer of skin — but only from precisely where the cancer cells originated. This method ensures that the Mohs surgery results in the smallest scar possible.
The removal process stops when there is no longer any evidence of cancer in the surgical site. Because Mohs surgey removes only tissue containing cancer, it ensures that the maximum amount of healthy tissue is kept intact.
Our Mohs Surgeons
Starting his practice more than 30 years ago, Dr. Patrick J. Lillis was a pioneer in Mohs skin cancer surgery, one of the first to be trained in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain States. Currently, there are 3 doctors who perform Mohs surgery at Lake Loveland Dermatology. Patrick J. Lillis and Dr. Kevin J. Mott are fellowship-trained doctors who perform Mohs surgery and Dr. Joseph V. Lillis is a board certified dermatologist whose expertise includes skin cancer surveillance and skin cancer surgery.
Mohs Micrographic Surgery
This is a surgical procedure for the removal of skin cancer. Mohs surgery is a highly precise and highly effective method that removes the visible tumor and any “roots” that may have extended beneath the skin surface. Mohs surgery is most commonly used for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Cancers that have recurred are often treated with Mohs surgery because the precision of this procedure is ideal for the elimination of cancers in cosmetically and functionally critical areas such as on the head, neck, hands, and feet. (About 90% of Mohs surgery procedures are performed on the face.)
Post-Skin Cancer Treatment
After skin cancer treatment, our cosmetic dermatology and spa staff can recommend products and treatments that will help protect and heal the skin, minimize scarring and enhance appearance.
What is Mohs Surgery? - A Brief Overview
Courtesy of American College of Mohs Surgery
The Mohs surgery procedure seems simple: the surgeon removes the cancer, carefully checks to be sure the he or she got it all, then repairs the wound. American College of Mohs Surgery members, however, train in and practice the complex nuances of this process for years so they are prepared to handle any situation they may encounter. This page describes the steps they follow for each Mohs surgical procedure.The roots of a skin cancer may extend beyond the visible portion of the tumor. If these roots are not removed, the cancer will recur. A surgery starts with the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) specialist examining the visible lesion and planning what tissue to remove. The patient then receives local anesthesia, and the Mohs surgery begins.
The surgeon removes the visible portion of the tumor using careful surgical techniques.
The ACMS surgeon next removes a deeper layer of skin and divides it into sections. With the help of technicians, the surgeon then color-codes each of these sections with dyes and makes reference marks on the skin to show the source of the sections. A map of the surgical site is then drawn to track exactly where each small portion of tissue originated.
In a laboratory, the surgeon uses a microscope to examine the undersurface and edges of each section of tissue in search of evidence of remaining cancer.
If the surgeon finds cancer cells under the microscope, he or she marks their location on the "map" and returns to the patient to remove another deeper layer of skin — but only from precisely where the cancer cells originated. This method ensures that the Mohs surgery results in the smallest scar possible.
The removal process stops when there is no longer any evidence of cancer in the surgical site. Because Mohs surgey removes only tissue containing cancer, it ensures that the maximum amount of healthy tissue is kept intact.
Step 6
At this point, the surgeon discusses reconstruction options, should they be required, and then post-operative care. Mohs surgery recovery tends to be easily manageable because of the use of local anesthesia and the careful surgical techniques.Our Mohs Surgeons
Starting his practice more than 30 years ago, Dr. Patrick J. Lillis was a pioneer in Mohs skin cancer surgery, one of the first to be trained in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain States. Currently, there are 3 doctors who perform Mohs surgery at Lake Loveland Dermatology. Patrick J. Lillis and Dr. Kevin J. Mott are fellowship-trained doctors who perform Mohs surgery and Dr. Joseph V. Lillis is a board certified dermatologist whose expertise includes skin cancer surveillance and skin cancer surgery.
Mohs Micrographic Surgery
This is a surgical procedure for the removal of skin cancer. Mohs surgery is a highly precise and highly effective method that removes the visible tumor and any “roots” that may have extended beneath the skin surface. Mohs surgery is most commonly used for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Cancers that have recurred are often treated with Mohs surgery because the precision of this procedure is ideal for the elimination of cancers in cosmetically and functionally critical areas such as on the head, neck, hands, and feet. (About 90% of Mohs surgery procedures are performed on the face.)
Post-Skin Cancer Treatment
After skin cancer treatment, our cosmetic dermatology and spa staff can recommend products and treatments that will help protect and heal the skin, minimize scarring and enhance appearance.
