How Does Mohs Surgery differ from standard excision?
Undoubtedly, Mohs surgery is most precise. The excised sections are histologically tested on the day of the procedure, and combined with the mapping technique, allows the surgeon to close the wound only after all cancerous tissue has been removed. In a standard excision, the tissue sample is histologically tested over a few days, after the wound has already been closed. During the examination of the samples, a pathologist looks for any remains of skin cancer at the margin of each section, nonetheless, in contrast to Mohs surgery, these are only fractions of the actual excision margin. It means that histological testing in a standard excision does not examine the specimen as closely as it is examined in the Mohs procedure. If any tumour is still visible after having performed a standard excision, the patient is usually offered the Mohs procedure. Pennsylvania Dermatology Specialists will assess which type of surgery would be the most suitable option for you.