Skin Cancer Excisions
Skin Cancer Excisions including Flaps and Skin Grafts
Surgery to remove the cancer (surgical excision) is the most common treatment for invasive basal cell carcinoma BCC and squamous cell carcinoma SCC.
Most small skin cancers can be removed by Dr Joshi in clinic under local anaesthetic. A surgeon may be referred to at your preference or to treat more complex cases that may be best carried out under general anaesthetic.
Skin Cancer Excisions including Flaps and Skin Grafts
Surgery to remove the cancer (surgical excision) is the most common treatment for invasive basal cell carcinoma BCC and squamous cell carcinoma SCC.
Most small skin cancers can be removed by Dr Joshi in clinic under local anaesthetic. A surgeon may be referred to at your preference or to treat more complex cases that may be best carried out under general anaesthetic.
What is a Biopsy?
During your skin cancer check, if any suspicious lesions are found, we would first conduct a biopsy, which is removal of a small sample of the area to send for confirmation of cancer/ no cancer.
If it is not anything that needs further care, we will advise you of this and recommend regular skin checks.
If it is anything that needs further discussion and planning, we will invite you back for another consultation, which is a paid visit.
At this visit, we will discuss options:
- What the issue is
- what the recommended treatment options are
- if you’d prefer to be referred or if you’d be happy for Dr Joshi to carry out the next steps
- the costs associated with this including any Medicare rebates
- what aftercare looks like so you can plan around work and downtime including pain relief
- What follow up for ongoing monitoring for further skin cancers looks like
What is a Biopsy?
During your skin cancer check, if any suspicious lesions are found, we would first conduct a biopsy, which is removal of a small sample of the area to send for confirmation of cancer/ no cancer.
If it is not anything that needs further care, we will advise you of this and recommend regular skin checks.
If it is anything that needs further discussion and planning, we will invite you back for another consultation, which is a paid visit.
At this visit, we will discuss options:
- What the issue is
- what the recommended treatment options are
- if you’d prefer to be referred or if you’d be happy for Dr Joshi to carry out the next steps
- the costs associated with this including any Medicare rebates
- what aftercare looks like so you can plan around work and downtime including pain relief
- What follow up for ongoing monitoring for further skin cancers looks like
What happens during surgery?
If you opt to stay with Dr Joshi and it is safe and appropriate to do so, we will then book in a suitable time and day for your surgery with planning for time off work, pain relief and more.
Dr Joshi will use a local anaesthetic to numb the affected area, then cut out the skin cancer and some nearby normal-looking tissue (margin). This margin may be very small (2-3mm) or around 1 cm depending on the type of skin cancer and where it is on your body.
A pathologist checks the margin for cancer cells to make sure the cancer has been completely removed.
The results will usually be available in about 1-2 weeks.
If cancer cells are found at the margin, you may need further surgery or radiation therapy.
Repairing the Wound
Most people will be able to have the wound closed with stitches.
You will have a scar that will become less noticeable over time (3-12 months). The area around the excision may feel tight and tender for a few days, be raised and pink for a few months and then flatten over time into a skin coloured/ white scar.
If you have a large skin cancer removed, Dr Joshi will explain the most suitable type of reconstruction for your wound. This may be a:
- skin flap – when nearby loose skin and underlying fatty tissue is moved over the wound and stitched
- skin graft – when a thin piece of skin is removed from a nearby part of the body (the donor site) and stitched over the wound. The donor site may be stitched, or it may be dressed and allowed to heal by itself.
Skin flaps and grafts may be done in a doctor’s rooms depending on the size, the location and how well you are likely to tolerate the procedure under local anaesthetic.
The affected area will heal over a few weeks. Sometimes you may need more complex reconstructive surgery. This can involve more than one reconstruction technique, surgery that is done in stages, and a longer stay in hospital.
What happens during surgery?
If you opt to stay with Dr Joshi and it is safe and appropriate to do so, we will then book in a suitable time and day for your surgery with planning for time off work, pain relief and more.
Dr Joshi will use a local anaesthetic to numb the affected area, then cut out the skin cancer and some nearby normal-looking tissue (margin). This margin may be very small (2-3mm) or around 1 cm depending on the type of skin cancer and where it is on your body.
A pathologist checks the margin for cancer cells to make sure the cancer has been completely removed.
The results will usually be available in about 1-2 weeks.
If cancer cells are found at the margin, you may need further surgery or radiation therapy.
Repairing the Wound
Most people will be able to have the wound closed with stitches.
You will have a scar that will become less noticeable over time (3-12 months). The area around the excision may feel tight and tender for a few days, be raised and pink for a few months and then flatten over time into a skin coloured/ white scar.
If you have a large skin cancer removed, Dr Joshi will explain the most suitable type of reconstruction for your wound. This may be a:
- Skin flap – when nearby loose skin and underlying fatty tissue is moved over the wound and stitched
- Skin graft – when a thin piece of skin is removed from a nearby part of the body (the donor site) and stitched over the wound. The donor site may be stitched, or it may be dressed and allowed to heal by itself.
Skin flaps and grafts may be done in a doctor’s rooms depending on the size, the location and how well you are likely to tolerate the procedure under local anaesthetic.
The affected area will heal over a few weeks. Sometimes you may need more complex reconstructive surgery. This can involve more than one reconstruction technique, surgery that is done in stages, and a longer stay in hospital.