basal cell carcinoma! mohs?

Question

does anyone have experince of mohs (micrographic surgery) to treat basal cell carcinoma on the face.

Answer 1

Although the exact etiology of Basal Cell Carcinoma - BCC - is unknown, a well-established relationship exists between BCC and the pilosebaceous unit, as tumors are most often discovered on hair-bearing areas. Tumors are currently believed to arise from pluripotent cells (which have the capacity to form hair), sebaceous glands, and apocrine glands. Tumors usually arise from the epidermis or the outer root sheath of a hair follicle. In nearly all cases, the recommended treatment modality for BCC is surgery. While newer, nonsurgical therapeutic modalities are future possibilities, currently available medical modalities are considered to be experimental, with cure rates less than that of surgical modalities. The goal of therapy for patients with BCC is removal of the tumor with the best possible cosmetic result. By far, surgical modalities are the most studied, most effective, and most used treatments for BCC. The effectiveness of surgical modalities depends heavily on the surgeon's skills; considerable differences in cure rates have been observed among surgeons. Modalities used include electrodesiccation and curettage, excisional surgery, Mohs micrographically controlled surgery, and cryosurgery. Ionizing radiation, although a nonsurgical modality, should be considered in select patients. Mohs micrographic surgery is an advanced treatment procedure for skin cancers which offers the highest potential for recovery – even if the skin cancer has previously been treated. This procedure is state-of-the-art treatment in which the physician serves as surgeon, pathologist and reconstructive surgeon.
Hope this helps
Matador 89

Answer 2

I work for a Mohs surgeon, and I would most definitely tell you to go with Mohs. I can really only speak on the way my office functions, but I believe most are the similar. The reason it takes so long is because the doctor is reading the slides on site. You are not actually in the O/R that long! Usually a nurse goes in and numbs, they mark the area, and the doc removes the first layer. This all takes about 10 minutes. Then you go sit in a waiting room for about 1,2 or 3 hours...it all depends (width, depth, etc). Once the tissue goes through processing (it has to be cut, frozen, etc.) the doctor reads it, checks that the margins are clear, OR she "maps" the next layer to be taken. Since this procedure is typically done on the face, or areas with little tissue to spare, the mapping procedure helps to maintain the integrity of the skin structure. So at this point, you would be called back, and they would either take another layer and the process starts all over again, or you will be prepped for closure. You're losing a lot more of your original tissue by getting the excision because typically they take a chunk, hoping to get it all, then send it out to a lab (another bill) to check the margins, and go from there. If I were you, I'd rest easier knowing that all the cancer is gone when I leave that day. No waiting for the lab to get results back to your doc, then for a nurse to call you back. Your in and done! As far as the wait, yes, it can take months to get an appointment depending on how many Mohs surgeons are in your area. When I first started, my doc was booking 2-3 months out. Now that there are more surgeons, it is only a matter of weeks. But with BCC, it is very slow growing, so a few months should make THAT big of a difference. There are always exceptions, but it isn't typical; and you should call your referring doc to give them your surgical date, and he will know if that is too long for you. (Also, you might be able to get on a cancellation list!) You wouldn't believe how long some people put these things off! So it's good that you are getting your appointment now, and getting it taken care of! I hope this information helps! And good luck!

Answer 3

Cancer is caused by poor nutrition (including oxygen) and stressors. Stressors can be environmental, like heavy metals, food additives or pollution, or emotional or job stress.
Our bodies have 60 trillion--yes, trillion--cells, and there are always some mutating into cancer cells, but a healthy immune system kills them before they have a chance to get a foothold in the body.
It takes a LONG time, usually, or an exrtaordinary amount of stressors, to degrade the immune system to the point where it won't do its job, but once cancer has formed, it can spread rapidly.

THIS IS IMPORTANT! There are ways to BEAT cancer that the AMA is keeping from the American public, that are being used in Europe and around the world. Here is some information that is getting hard to find--"The Cure for All Cancers", ISBN 0963632825; "A Cancer Therapy", ISBN 0882681052; "Hydrogen Peroxide--Medical Miracle", ISBN 1885236077; "The Natural Cure for Cancer--Germanium", ISBN 0533071410; and "Killing Cancer", ISBN 0705000966.

Type 'used books' into your browser and find a good site, then type in the ISBN numbers and get some great help cheap.

I know of people whose cancer has 'spontaneously remitted' (WENT AWAY for no known reason) after they went on a program of herbs and nutrition.

The American Medical Association and the pharmaceutical companies control medical law in this country, and they are in it for the money, and don't care about individuals. You and your family must look out for yourselves to stand a chance of being healthy.
This is not a joke. Look into it. Best of luck

Answer 4

please have procedure explained to you.. they are reluctant because its devastating, especially to your face