HWN Suggests

Mohs surgery is vilified, physicians again fail to respond effectively

An article published in the New York Times last weekend has been circulating widely on the Internet, and I feel that more than ever, physician voices are needed to reach the public and counter certain misconceptions put forth by the media.

The article, “Patients’ Costs Skyrocket; Specialists’ Incomes Soar,” charts the growth of specialist incomes in the past decade, using the case of a patient from Arkansas who had a $25,000 medical bill for Mohs surgery to demonstrate the prevalence of unnecessary and costly procedures.

It isn’t all bad — one big pro of this article written by internist Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal is opening the line of communication between physician and…

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Featured

 Counting the cuts in Mohs surgery: A way to improve care and reduce costs

In an analysis of Medicare billing data submitted by more than 2,300 United States physicians, researchers have calculated the average number of surgical slices, or cuts, made during Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS), a procedure that progressively removes thin layers of cancerous skin tissue in a way that minimizes damage to healthy skin and the risks of leaving cancerous tissue behind.

Articles of Interest

Five things to know about Mohs surgery for skin cancer

Mohs surgery can be completed in just a day, is essentially painless and is highly effective. It can be used to treat basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, in addition to melanoma.

Everything You Need to Know About Mohs Surgery

Mohs surgery removes skin cancer, working through skin layers until all traces of cancer are gone. It is most effective on the two most common skin cancers, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

Frederic Mohs, 92, Inventor Of Cancer Surgery Technique

The initial technique usually employed a chemical paste containing zinc chloride to destroy cancerous tissue layer by layer under delicate microscopic control. But the approach evolved in the 1950's to continue the microscopic analysis with less use of chemicals.

My Mohs Surgery - A Personal Narrative

Before I share my experience with Mohs surgery and what I learned, I want to make a very strong point. If you have anything on your skin that stays on for more than 1-3 months, get it checked out. It doesn’t matter what it looks like.

Should we pursue board certification in Mohs micrographic surgery?

The medical director was direct and blunt: “You’ve got a problem with two very different levels of training in Mohs surgery. This is a big problem for your specialty.”

Skin Cancer Removal With Miniaturized Radiation

Many patients prefer the new X-ray treatment to surgical procedures.

Resources

Basal Cell Carcinoma Cancer on My Nose - Mohs Surgery

I thought I would write this blog to provide others with information on BCC and Mohs surgery. Skin cancer and Mohs surgery can be very scary, but Mohs surgery has a very high success rate.

MOHS - UK - NHS - A journey into the unknown

My boyfriend told me I had to go back and get a second opinion, which I did a couple of days later, and the second doctor agreed with my BF's diagnosis that it could be a BCC (basal cell carcinoma). She

Mohs Surgery Patient Education

Mohs micrographic surgery is the most effective and advanced treatment for skin cancer today. It offers the highest potential for cure – even if the skin cancer has been previously treated by another method. To learn more about whether Mohs surgery is an appropriate treatment for your skin cancer, find a fellowship trained Mohs surgeon in your area.

My Mohs Nose

I went to see my dermatologist in April 2012. She did a biopsy of the spot (numbed it up, then shaved off a layer of skin) and sent it off to the lab. A week later, the lab confirmed that I had basal cell carcinoma, which is the most common type of skin cancer. Luckily, it's also the most treatable form. Unfortunately, it was in a tough spot -- if this had been on my arm or back, the removal would have been pretty easy -- but it was on the tip of my nose. In the middle of my 34-year-old face.

American College of Mohs Surgery

The American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) is a membership organization of fellowship trained skin cancer and reconstructive surgeons specializing in the Mohs micrographic surgical technique used to treat skin cancer.

American Society for Mohs Surgery

ASMS places a strong emphasis on quality dermatologic education, encompassing surgical skill refinement, improved performance and enhanced patient outcomes

American Society for Mohs Surgery blog

Welcome to the American Society for Mohs Surgery blog. Within this regularly updated feature of our website, we will provide visitors with relevant society updates, as well as information regarding the most recent technological advances and new treatments in our areas of Mohs surgery.

MedlinePlus

Mohs micrographic surgery is a way to treat and cure certain skin cancers. Surgeons trained in the Mohs procedure can do this surgery. It allows skin cancer to be removed with less damage to the healthy skin around it.

Skin Cancer Foundation

Today, Mohs surgery has come to be accepted as the single most effective technique for removing Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma (BCCs and SCCs), the two most common skin cancers. It accomplishes the nifty trick of sparing the greatest amount of healthy tissue while also most completely expunging cancer cells; cure rates for BCC and SCC are an unparalleled 98 percent or higher with Mohs, significantly better than the rates for standard excision or any other accepted method.