Skin cancer is the most common type of all cancers

The treatment for skin cancer is dependent upon the type of a tumor and its stage. Moreover, the location, size and the nature of tumor also decide the type of treatment for this dreadful ailment. A patient with poor immune system is not advised for the surgery technique.

Types of skin cancer :

Two types of cancers are popular and these are Basal cell carcinoma and Squamous cell carcinoma. Both are the most common types of cancer diseases which are usually called as non-melanoma. These types of cancers rarely spread to other parts of the body. Melanoma is also a type of cancer which contains cancerous properties and can spread to other parts.

Skin cancer treatment :

Some of the conventional methods for the skin cancer disease have been described as follows :-

Surgery :

In this method, the tumor is cut out from the outer parts in thin layers. In this technique, the edges of the tumor are examined through a microscope study to check whether the cells are cancerous or not. Layers are removed until no more cancerous cells are found. In this method, some healthy tissues are also removed on the surface of the skin.

Mohs surgery :

This procedure is used for the tumor which is difficult to treat. It may include the Basal cell carcinomas and Squamous cell carcinomas. Doctor removes the cancerous growth layer by layer and examines each layer with the help of microscope, so that no any melanoma cells remain. This technique allows cancerous cells to be removed without taking an excessive amount of surrounding healthy skin.

Electrodesiccation and Curettage :

After removing most of the growth from the skin, doctors remove the layers of melanoma cells using a curet (a type of circular blade). An electric needle destroys the cancer cells. This is used to treat the basal cell carcinoma and Squamous cell carcinomas.

Chemotherapy :

This is also an effective method for the skin cancer treatment. In chemotherapy method, anti cancer drugs are used to kill the malignant tumor. Systemic chemotherapy method takes time to get cured, as the drugs are given in several steps.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) :

This is a combination of laser light and drugs that helps to make malignant cells sensitive towards light. Photodynamic therapy makes the outer layer sensitive towards light and thus destroys the malignant cells.

Biological therapy :

This is a new technique for the skin cancer treatment that stimulates immune system to kill the cancer cells. Biological therapy uses medications to heal certain types of cancers include interleukin-2 and interferon.