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www.DermTeamMd.com

Jennifer  Cooper,  M.D.

Trea%ng  Your  Skin  Cancer  ! Skin Cancer and Mohs Surgery !

Skin cancer is the growth of abnormal cells at an uncontrolled and unpredictable rate. Although the cancer originates in the skin, if left untreated it can invade and destroy structures such as fat, muscle and cartilage. !The three most common skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Basal cell cancers rarely metastasize, but they frequently grow larger and deeper. Some squamous cell cancers can spread from the skin to distant sites. They can grow downward, forming root-like projections underneath the skin. There are several different subtypes of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma, and it is important to distinguish these types prior to treatment. For this reason, a biopsy is usually performed prior to a treatment of any kind. Your doctor will review the results of your biopsy and discuss treatment options with you. !Treatment of Skin Cancers !There are many ways to treat skin cancers. These treatment options include excision (surgical removal and stitching), curettage and desiccation (scraping with a sharp instrument and burning with an electric needle), cryosurgery (freezing), radiation therapy (x-ray), and topical creams (which work to destroy tumor cells). For most skin cancers, these treatments give a success rate of greater than 90%, but the success rate for treating recurrent or large skin cancers with these methods can drop significantly. However, the success rate for Mohs Surgery for treating these skin cancers is 95% or better.

What is Mohs Surgery? !

Mohs Surgery is named in honor of the physician who developed the technique, Dr. Frederic Mohs. The main difference between Mohs Surgery and other methods of treating skin cancer is microscopic control. In Mohs Surgery, multiple horizontal layers of the cancer are removed. The surgical removal proceeds along a grid pattern. Each layer is carefully identified and mapped by the surgeon so that its exact location can be pinpointed on the wound. Every layer of the tissue removed is inspected under the microscope for evidence of cancer cells. As long as cancer cells are seen anywhere within the specimen, the Mohs surgeon continues to remove and examine tissue layers from that particular section of the wound until none are present. As well as ensuring total removal of the cancer, this process preserves as much normal, healthy skin and tissue as possible. Members of the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) must have completed Fellowship training under the supervision of an ACMS surgeon, and must have completed a minimum of 500 cases of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Reconstruction. ACMS Fellowship trained Mohs surgeons are, in most cases, able to complete any reconstructive surgery during your visit. Most ACMS surgeons are dermatologists and thus are able to utilize their knowledge of the skin to help achieve the best cosmetic result possible. More information about Mohs Micrographic Surgery is available from the ACMS. !American College of Mohs Surgery 555 East Wells Street, Suite 1100 Milwaukee, WI 53202 phone: 1-800-500-7224 email: info@mohscollege.org website: www.mohscollege.org

An  Informa*onal  Pamphlet  Regarding  

Mohs  Micrographic  Surgery

© 2008 - All Rights Reserved - American College of Mohs Surgery

When is Mohs Surgery Appropriate?

!It must be kept in mind that most cancers can be treated by the methods listed in the Treatment of Skin Cancer section and do not require Mohs Surgery. Mohs Surgery is a time intensive procedure that requires a highly trained team of medical personnel. Mohs Surgery is therefore reserved for those skin cancers which: !

• Have been treated in the past and have recurred !

• Are large and difficult to treat with other therapies !

• Are located in high risk areas such as the scalp, fingers, toes, genitals, around the eye, and certain areas of the face !

• Show an aggressive or infiltrative growth pattern when viewed under a microscope !!

The American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) is a valuable resource for information regarding skin cancer and Mohs Surgery. !The ACMS has a Mohs Surgery Patient Information website which features detailed information on Skin Cancer, Frequently Asked Questions about Mohs Surgery, and the benefits of having an ACMS Fellowship trained Mohs Surgeon. The web address for the ACMS Mohs Surgery Patient Information page is listed below. !http://www.SkinCancerMohsSurgery.org

About Dr. Cooper Jennifer Cooper, M.D., is a graduate of Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC. Dr. Cooper completed her Dermatology Residency at the University of

Rochester in Rochester, NY. Following residency, Dr. Cooper continued at the University of Rochester for fellowship training in Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cuteaneous Oncology under Dr. Marc Brown. Dr. Cooper has served on the faculty of the University of Rochester and the University of Maryland. She graduated medical school with AOA honors and served as Chief Resident her final year of Dermatology Residency. Dr. Cooper is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology, a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and a Fellow of the American College of Mohs Surgery. Dr. Cooper's expertise is in the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer.

10 Fila Way Suite 205 Sparks, MD 21152 Phone 410-472-1006 Fax 410-472-0900

2012 S. Tollgate Road Suite 200 Bel Air, MD 21051 Phone 410-569-5151 Fax 410-569-1131 !