TREATMENT OPTIONS
Approaches to treating skin cancer.
A physician may recommend a biopsy to determine the type of skin cancer and guide the choice of treatment. Several medical and surgical approaches are available, depending on the cancer type, its location, and individual clinical factors. The treatments below are commonly used in skin cancer care.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy uses liquid nitrogen to freeze targeted skin lesions, including certain benign, precancerous, and early-stage cancerous lesions.
Topical Treatment
Topical therapies use prescription creams or solutions to treat selected skin cancers or precancerous lesions on the surface of the skin.
Surgery
Surgical procedures remove skin cancers by excising the lesion and a margin of surrounding tissue. This approach is commonly used for many types of skin cancer.
Curettage & Electrodesiccation
Curettage and electrodesiccation involve scraping the lesion and using electrical energy to control bleeding and destroy remaining cells. This method is used for selected superficial skin cancers.
Photodynamic Therapy
Photodynamic therapy uses a light-sensitive medication and a special light source to treat selected precancerous and early skin cancer lesions.