Mohs Micrographic Surgery

Mohs Micrographic Surgery

In January 2008, we opened our Mohs Surgical Center, making the Skin and Cancer Center of Arizona a complete skin cancer treatment center.

Mohs Micrographic Surgery is a technique that was originally developed about 60 years ago by Frederic E. Mohs, M.D. at the University of Wisconsin. During the Surgery, the physician removes the cancer and then uses a microscope to determine whether or not any cancer cells still remain. If necessary, these steps are repeated until the cancerous area has been completely removed.

The surgery is usually an outpatient procedure, performed in one day, under local anesthesia. It provides the patient with minimal discomfort and scarring.

The Mohs procedure is recommended for skin cancer removal in the anatomic areas where maximum preservation of healthy tissue is desired for cosmetic and functional purposes (face, eyelids, nose, ears, fingers, genital area, etc.), for cancers with indistinct margins, and for recurrent cancers in scar tissue. It is especially indicated for lesions that have recurred following prior treatment, or for lesions in anatomic areas that have the greatest likelihood of recurrence (eg., the side of the nose).