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Skin cancer is only cured with surgery. Skin cancer affects many Americans every year. While there are many steps that can be taken to prevent it, removal of the affected skin with the infection is the best way to deal with the non melanoma skin cancer. Melanoma is skin cancer that affects other organs and metastasizes like other malignant forms of cancer.

Different surgery techniques are used to heal skin cancer. One of the most popular is Mohs skin surgery. Mohs surgery is often used as a curing method for skin cancer. Mohs micrographic surgery, as it is also known, is a specialist technique. It is largely used in basal cell carcinomas. In this procedure, a little tissue is removed at a time. This is done to preserve as much of the healthy tissue as possible. The removed tissue is immediately examined under a microscope to check for cancer cells. This process is continued till almost all the tissue is removed.

Other procedures include

• Curettage and electrocautery: A process where the infected skin is 'scraped away' and the remaining cancer cells are cauterized. This is suitable only for small skin lesions. This procedure in done with a local anesthetic.
• Wide Local excision: In this process, a wide swatch of tissue included infected tissue is removed. The wide swatch is cut to remove any possible remaining cancer cells. This procedure is done under a general anesthetic.
• Cryosurgery: Extreme cold is used to freeze the infected skin and remove it, under a local anesthetic. It is used for small skin cancers. Liquid nitrogen is sprayed on the skin and then a scab develops over the next few weeks. The scab eventually falls.
• Lymph node surgery or lymphadenectomy: Occasionally skin cancer cells are found in lymph nodes. In such instances, surgery is needed to remove those cells.
• Skin grafting: This procedure is done after removing cancer cells and done with a general anesthetic. This procedure involves a plastic surgeon. Skin from one part of the body is removed and grafted to an affected area.

Recovery from skin cancer surgery can take anywhere from few days to a few months depending on the procedure you choose to do. Before you pick one method, make sure you discuss everything with your doctor including the time for recovery, the cost of the surgery and what post-operative care you need.

The skin cancer surgery cost will include different components like surgeon fees, hospital stay, medication and anesthesia if needed. You should check with your insurance company about what all is covered.

Reference

• http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/basal-cell-carcinoma/bcc-treatment-options
• http://www.siumed.edu/medicine/dermatology/mohs_clinic.htm