Surgical oncology is a surgical specialty related to the cure and management of cancer.
Any of the small, bean-shaped glands located throughout the lymphatic system of the body, which contain lymphocytes, or immune system cells that can trap cancer cells or bacteria that travel through the body.
Invading normal tissue; cancerous.
A type of cell in the skin that produces the pigment melanin that gives the skin its natural color.
To grow deeper into the skin and spread to other parts of the body.
A section of skin that is removed from one area of the body and transplanted to another area.
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that is characterized by a dark-pigmented, usually malignant tumor that arises from a melanocyte. Early-stage melanoma can often be treated with surgery. If not detected, it can metastasize (grow deeper into the skin and spread to other parts of the body). Your surgical treatment will be determined by your physician after a thorough evaluation of your condition.
These procedures are usually done on an outpatient basis while the area to be treated is numbed with local anesthesia. This type of surgery is typically handled by a physician with our affiliated practice, Illinois Plastic Surgery.
The most common treatment for melanoma is excisional surgery, in which the tumor as well as a margin of surrounding tissue is removed. In some cases, a skin graft may be needed to replace skin that has been excised. If the melanoma has spread to nearby lymph nodes, they may also be taken out. The tissue is then sent to the laboratory for evaluation to see if any cancer cells remain. This is known as a biopsy.
This procedure involves removing most, or all, of the lymph nodes in a certain region of the body, such as the armpit or groin, and examining them for cancer. If melanoma has begun to spread, it may be possible to find it in the nearest lymph nodes and remove it before it spreads further. A biopsy will be performed to find out if the melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes.
During Mohs surgery, any remaining visible tumor is removed along with a thin layer of additional tissue. What makes Mohs surgery different from excisional surgery is that the tissue is examined while the patient is undergoing the procedure. The removed layers are examined to determine if cancerous cells are present and the process is repeated with each layer until cancer cells are no longer seen. The length of the procedure depends on how many layers are examined.
Mohs surgery is considered if the melanoma is located on an area such as the face where the preservation of healthy tissue is desired, if the tumor is large or if it is difficult to determine where the cancer ends.