A Guide to Skin Cancer Treatment

Skin cancer treatment encompasses numerous options to address and rid the body of the disease. Skin cancer manifests in different forms and levels of severity (stage), which determines the overall treatment plan. Here are various methods of skin cancer treatment.

An overview of skin cancer treatment methods

Biological therapy

Biological therapy is a broad term that encompasses various methods of skin cancer treatment that help the immune system identify and eliminate cancer cells. The following forms include:

• Adoptive cell transfer
• Angiogenesis inhibitors
• Bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy
• Biochemotherapy
• Cancer vaccines
• Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy
• Cytokine therapy
• Gene therapy
• Immune checkpoint modulators
• Immunoconjugates
• Monoclonal antibodies
• Oncolytic virus therapy
• Targeted drug therapy

Some are considered clinical trials, while others have been around for some time. Each will depend on how the skin cancer manifests.

Cryosurgery

According to the American Society for Dermatologic Society or ASDS, cryosurgery is a minimally invasive procedure requiring no cutting or stitches. This skin cancer treatment is typically performed in the oncologist's office using liquid nitrogen oxygen. The oncologist will identify the skin cancer, its stage, size, and whether a tumor is present. The tumor is the primary target. The oncologist will apply the liquid nitrogen directly to the tumor using a cotton swab or spraying device. Some patients may require the use of a needle with a thermometer to ensure the targeted area has cooled in its entirety.

Excisional surgery

According to the American Cancer Society, there are two types of excisional surgery: standard and shaved. They also state that it is a skin cancer treatment that closely resembles a biopsy, something most patients with tumors or lesions experience during the diagnostic process.

When performing the standard excisional surgery, the oncologist will remove the lesion or tumor and some surrounding healthy skin tissue using a scalpel or surgical knife. They will need to cut deep enough into the skin to pass the depths of the tumor or lesion, which will likely result in some scarring. Alternatively, shaved excisional surgery will slowly remove each layer of the skin, focusing more on the deeper ones in order to remove the tumor. The oncologist will use a surgical blade to slowly shave off each layer of skin, which may result in a small scar after healing.

Immunotherapy

Unlike the rest of the surgeries on this list, immunotherapy targets and aims to kill cancer cells from within the body. However, the oncologist may employ it as part of the patient's overall skin cancer treatment plan, coupling it with surgery, especially when tumors are present. Cancer cells often have a way of avoiding the immune system entirely by figuring out how they can go undetected. Immunotherapy involves using medications to strengthen the immune system to better recognize and destroy cancer cells. The oncologist is likely to employ this skin cancer treatment for those in the advanced stages of the disease.

Laser surgery

According to the Mayo Clinic, laser surgery, or photodynamic therapy, occurs in two stages. It combines light energy and medication to destroy precancerous and cancerous cells, regardless of the presence of a tumor. This method, formally known as photosensitizers, is activated using wavelengths from a laser. Before activation, it is considered harmless to cancerous cells and tissue; after, however, it is considered toxic to the targeted tissue.

Moh's surgery

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, Moh's surgery has existed since the 1930s but has become so precise that it delivers a 99 percent success rate. This skin cancer treatment primarily addresses lesions. Similar to the shaven excisional surgery, the oncologist will slowly remove one layer of skin at a time and examine it, repeating the process until only cancer-free tissue remains. However, it is a bit more complex, considering the oncologist will use mapping technology of the surgical area to identify all traces of cancer before beginning. Moreover, it is good to note that an oncologist usually performs this procedure in an outpatient setting, taking approximately one hour. Also, there may be a small scar left behind.

Radiation therapy

The oncologist will employ radiation therapy for more aggressive forms of skin cancer. Its primary aim is to target the skin cancer cells that grow along the nerve endings. Some skin cancers' patterns, especially melanoma, are difficult to predict. Radiation seeks to eliminate the existing cancerous cells before they can spread further.

Call us for more information

The best chance of surviving skin cancer is prompt treatment. We can help. No matter your stage, we will develop a personalized skin cancer treatment plan to meet the disease where it is. Contact our office today to schedule an appointment and learn your treatment options.

Request an appointment here: https://lindenbergcancer.com or call Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center at (856) 475-0876 for an appointment in our Marlton office.

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