Skin cancer surgery

Surgery is a common treatment for skin cancers, different surgical techniques can be used. The options depend on the type of skin cancer, how large the cancer is, its location in the body and other factors. Often, surgery can be done in the doctor's office or clinic using a local anesthetic (medicine used to numb the area). In the case of certain skin cancers with a high risk of spread, sometimes other treatments, such as radiation or chemotherapy, will be givenafter surgery. The two most common types are basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer. They usually form in the head, face, neck, hands and arms. Another type of skin cancer, melanoma, is more dangerous but less common.