Skin Cancer Treatments

Skin cancer, like many other forms of cancer, has no common symptom that makes it obvious that you have the disease. Treatment is necessary to destroy or remove skin cancer. Skin cancer treatment is usually some form of surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy. In come cases, a doctor may suggest a combination of these methods to remove the skin cancer from the patient.

Basil cell and squamous cell carcinomas (cancers) are the most common skin cancer and are usually treated with surgery. Surgery is a quick and easy way and the recovery time is usually short but a concern is to leave as small and unnoticeable scar as possible. A skin graft may be necessary to minimize the amount of scarring if a large tumor is removed.

Small skin cancers, other precancerous skin conditions and actinic keratoses can be treated with cryosurgery. The affected area of skin is sprayed with liquid nitrogen to freeze and kill abnormal cells. The dead skin falls off when the area heals. There is usually some stinging where the nitrogen is applied, and there may be some pain and swelling when the area thaws out.

Radiation is the best treatment to kill cancer cells. Radiation is often used for treating areas that are hard to treat with surgery like the tip of the nose and ear or as an alternative to surgery. Radiation is a good alternative to surgery but it does take longer to complete and has other short-term side effects that the patient should be aware of.

Topical chemotherapy, anticancer drugs in the form of a lotion or cream can be applied to the skin, usually on the face, neck and ears and may be the best treatment for cancers that are limited to the outer layer of skin. Two types of topical chemotherapy that I’ve used are Effudex and Fluoroplex. Both are effective at removing abnormal skin cells and left my face looking like I had a severe sunburn until the skin healed.

When you have a skin cancer, follow up treatments with your doctor, regular self exams and a periodic checkup by a dermatologist are essential to catch skin cancers early. Following your doctor's instructions is important to minimize the risk of skin cancer recurring again.

Not all cancers are curable, but many are, so don’t give up looking for answers to your skin cancer questions. There are some natural skin cancer treatments that may be an alternative to surgery and some other conventional treatments for skin cancer. Check out natural skin cancer treatments to get more information about alternatives to surgery.

About the Author

Marshall Crum has been a safety professional for more than 25 years and enjoys writing articles about health and other items of interest. He has had many skin cancers removed over the past eight years and hopes that his experience and research will help other people who have been diagnosed with skin cancer.