Blog 19: Answer 2

What is the best way to treat skin cancer?

The term skin cancer refers to three different conditions:

• ·      Basal cell carcinoma (most common)
•     Squamous cell carcinoma
•     Melanoma (most serious because it spreads)

“To plan the best treatment for each patient, the doctor considers the location and size of the cancer, the risk of scarring, and the person's age, general health, and medical history.”

Answer 2: Scooping out the basal by using a curette (spoon like tool), then electric current to stop the bleeding and kill the rest of the cancer cells or Surgical excision (tumor is cut out) and stitched up

Evidence:

·      Basal cell carcinoma almost never spreads, but do grow and invade other tissue.  It is also the most common

·      Using curette is best for small cancers and for Basal and Squamous

·      Melanoma: After biopsy, the doctor may find

o   No need of treatment, just a mole

o   Atypical mole (take off a little bit of mole and surrounding skin to be safe)

o   Surgery (removing ½ inch of tissue around the Melanoma, unless if more severe, then may go deeper)

Sources:

Arroyo, Julie. Personal interview. 24 Feb. 2012.

Griffen, Daren.   Personal Interview.   13. February 2012

Rigel, Daniel S. Cancer of the Skin. Philadephia: Elsevier Saunders, 2005. Print.