SKIN CANCER – BASAL CELL CARCINOMA

Basal Cell Carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer and appears frequently on sun-exposed surfaces on the head, neck, and hands. However, it can occur on any body part. It usually occurs in fair skinned people. Basal cell carcinomas are slow-growing skin cancers, yet are considered tissue destructive. This means that if cancer goes untreated, it will begin to bleed, crust over, heal, and repeat this cycle. It is very rare that this type of cancer metastasizes (spreads to other parts of the body), it can extend beneath the skin to the bone, nerves, and cause a considerable amount of localized damage.

Dr. Green uses many different treatment options and tailors it to each and every case depending on the depth of cancer, the location, and sometimes based on the patient’s needs. Some of the more common dermatologic surgical treatment options that Dr. Green performs as well as recommends include surgical excision, electrodesiccation, and curettage (also known as ED&C), which involves alternately scraping and burning the tumor with low levels or electricity, and SRT-100 (Superficial Radiotherapy) a new non- invasive procedure which uses targeted low levels of radiation to cause destruction of the cancers DNA, allowing for faster healing times and minimal or no scarring.