Skin Cancer Treatment Tucson | Skin Cancer Screening Arizona

What is Skin Cancer?

If you have been diagnosed with skin cancer, you are likely feeling very concerned about your prognosis and treatment options. The good news is that skin cancer is one of the most treatable types of cancers when detection and treatment occur early. Skin cancer treatments vary based upon the type of skin cancer you have been diagnosed with and the details of your individual medical history. Regardless of the type of skin cancer, early treatment offers the best chance of a full recovery.

Diagnosing Skin Cancer

The first step to treating skin cancer is to correctly diagnose your condition. If you are a patient in the 85749, 85750, 85718 zip codes, Dr. Senait Dyson may be a good choice. She is a board certified dermatologist and dermatopathologists who performs skin biopsies and diagnose skin cancers on a daily basis. In her lab, she will identify the exact type of skin cancer or other skin condition you suffer from. If skin cancer is found, Dr. Dyson will explain to you what it is and how it will be treated.

Different Types of Skin Cancer

The three predominant types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, all vary in levels of severity.

Basal cell carcinomas, the most common type of skin cancers, originate in the deepest layer of the epidermis and typically occur on sun-exposed areas of the skin, especially the face. This type of skin cancer rarely metastasizes (spreads to other parts of the body) or causes death.
Squamous cell carcinomas originate in the middle layer of the skin and metastasize more often than basal cell carcinomas, although the metastasis rate is still rather low.
Melanoma occurs much less frequently; however, this is the most likely type to metastasize and is aggressive – it needs to be treated immediately to stop its spread.

Patients in Arizona need to be especially aware of changes in their skin that may indicate skin cancer, as exposure to sun year-round increases the risk of skin cancer and continuously generates new brown spots. It is important to see Dr. Dyson at regular intervals to have your skin and moles monitored for early signs of cancer, especially melanoma. In the case of skin cancer, early detection and treatment is vital to a full recovery.

Skin Cancer Treatment, Tucson Arizona

The type of treatment that Dr. Dyson will recommend for skin cancer is based on each patient’s type of cancer, its location on the body, age, and whether the cancer is a recurrence or the first incidence of skin cancer. Today, the most common form of treatment for skin cancer is surgical treatment. In cases where other medical complications prevent surgical treatment, radiation or chemotherapy may be performed; however, these therapies have a lower overall rate of success in comparison to excision.

In cases where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, further surgical procedures and/or chemotherapy will probably be necessary. One of the most effective methods of excision is Mohs surgery. Dr. Dyson offers this microscopically controlled surgery, which requires specialized training to perform, at her Tucson practice. This procedure involves the surgical removal of the tumor and a small area of skin surrounding the tumor and immediate microscopic examination of the removed skin for signs of cancer. In this way, Dr. Dyson is able to ensure that the cancer has been completely removed without removing more skin than absolutely necessary. Non-surgical skin cancer removal is also available through our SRT-100 system.

Before and After SRT-100 Treatment

Before

After