Skin Cancer Treatment

About the Procedure

Millions of people are affected and diagnosed with skin cancer every year. It is one of the most common type of cancer in Australia. Approximately two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer before the age of 70. But more importantly, Australia has the highest skin cancer incidence rate in the world with non-melanoma the most common cancers diagnosed in Australia. An alarming fact that cannot be ignored.

The main culprit is exposing yourself in too much Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from Sun. Artificial sources of UV radiation, such as sunlamps and tanning booths, can also cause skin cancer.

A powerful combination of traditional and innovative therapies are available to treat the disease. There are four types of treatment that can be used in conjunction with each other to attain maximum treatment.

Surgery is the most common treatment use to eliminate tumor forming cells. However doctors may opt to use different kinds of surgery depending on the case and severity of the disease. These several treatments may involve different surgical treatment and may include Simple excision, Cryosurgery, Curettage and electrodessication, Micrographic surgery (or Mohs surgery) and Laser surgery. Simple Excision involves removing the tumor by cutting out the infected area including the margin of surrounding normal skin to be sure it is completely eliminated.

Cryosurgery is based on the greek word kruos meaning "cold". It freezes and kills the cancer cells using liquid nitrogen, having a temperature of 196 degrees below zero centigrade. This procedure instantly kills the tumor as extreme cold cannot be tolerated by our body. The tumor/Infected skin will fall off like a scab after the area liquefies. Cryosurgery itself is a painless and uncomplicated procedure however the treated area may become distended and painful after it thaws. Cryosurgery is well used for small or superficial skin cancers, and it is also used to remove precancerous lesion growths.

Curettage and electrodessication is a combination of two methods. First, the doctor uses a curette, a sharp, spoon-shaped instrument, to excavate out the lump. It is then treated with electrodessication a type of surgery that desiccates tissue by dehydration. This method applies electric current produced by a special machine. The layers of the skin may be burned to kill the cancer cells remaining near the edge of tumor area and to stop bleeding.

Micrographic surgery (or Mohs surgery) is a surgical procedure used to remove basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma. It involves controlled excision of cutaneous tumors and a little surrounding normal tissue as possible. The Surgeon removes one layer of tumor lesion, and examines it with a microscope. If cancer cells are present he then removes another layer, and examine it again for any presence of cancer cells. It will continue until all cancer cells have been removed.

Laser surgery uses a precise focused beam of light to destroy or vaporize cancer cells. It is seldom used for cancers that have not metastasized beyond the outer layer of the skin because lasers can also discolor skin permanently or temporarily.

It is important to note that surgery can alter skin integrity thus forming scar tissues. Cryosurgery for instance usually leaves a faint, white scar that is barely visible while Ttreatment of large cancers may need a skin graft to close the deformity. Grafting is done to permanently replace damaged and missing skin.

To make the treatment more powerful additional procedure is required in conjunction with surgery.

Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing, proliferating on other areas of the body. Two types of radiation therapy can be done to a cancer patient, one is External radiation. It involves the use of a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer site. Second, Internal radiation also known as brachytherapy. It uses a radioactive implants sealed in needles, seeds, wires, pellets, balloons and tubes that are placed directly into or near the cancer lesion. Radiation therapy is given depending on the type, stage, and severity of the cancer being treated.

Chemotherapy on the other hand consists of introducing drugs into the patient's bloodstream to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing or stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy can be best taken by mouth, injectected into a vein or muscle. These drugs enter the bloodstream targeting the cancer cells throughout the body (systemic chemotherapy). When chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid, an organ, or a body cavity, the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in specific areas and is called regional chemotherapy. Chemotherapy for non melanoma skin cancer is commonly topical. It is given depending on the condition being treated.

Other types of Treatment involve the use of Retinoids, a drug related to vitamin A. It is sometimes used to treat or prevent non melanoma skin cancer. The retinoid may be taken orally or applied topically. Studies and clinical trials using retinoids are being made for treatment of squamous cell carcinoma.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is one method to treat skin cancer. It uses a drug called photosensitizer and a certain type of laser light to eliminate cancer cells. When photosensitizers are exposed to a specific wavelength of light, they produce a form of oxygen that kills nearby cells. Photodynamic therapy causes minimal damage to healthy tissue. Another therapy that cancer patients can venture is Biological therapy. It uses the body's natural defenses to attack and destroy cancer cells. It is also called Biological Response Modifier (BRM) therapy or immunotherapy. Disease-fighting white blood cells are removed from the body, cultivated in a laboratory, and combined to substances that boost their disease-fighting ability. The WBC’s are injected back into the body to attack the tumor. Biological therapy is used mainly for advanced forms of cancer that cannot be treated with other methods. It is available in clinical trials and studies are conducted in medical centers to determine its safety and effectiveness.

What to Know Before the Procedure

Cancer is an incredibly diverse and resilient disease and each case poses unique challenges to the patient and the oncologist. Each method of surgery and treatment has pros and cons and there is no one “right” combination of treatments. All forms of cancer treatment come with attached risks and side-effects, some of which can have long term implications on quality of life. In order to treat it effectively, it is vital to have candid conversations with your doctor about your medical history, other pre-existing conditions, your lifestyle, and your personal preferences to determine the best course of action.

What to Know After the Procedure

The suggested recovery practices and possible side-effects of cancer treatment vary wildly upon the type of treatment chosen. Your doctor will give you detailed instructions about how to follow through with recovery and ongoing treatment based upon your particular case. Follow these directions and contact your doctor if any questions or complications arise.

If you Need to Travel Outside of your Local Hospital

Cancer treatment is a prolonged, multiple session affair that requires constant communication between the patient and the doctor. This must be considered when determining where to have treatment performed. Ideally, you will want to work with the same doctor and the same team throughout the process to ensure complete understanding and consistency from beginning to end. At the same time, you also want to work with the most highly qualified team available to you. These factors should be the most heavily weighted when deciding whether/where you should travel to have your cancer treated.