What Are My Skin Cancer Treatment Options?

If you recently got a skin cancer diagnosis, you’re not alone. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. In fact, one in five people will get skin cancer by the time they turn 70.

Skin cancer might be common, but that doesn’t mean a diagnosis won’t make you uneasy. The good news is that skin cancer is often detected early and treatment is usually effective at eliminating cancerous cells. 

Turn to Elvira Klause, MD, FACS, in San Clemente, California, for the best in skin cancer treatment. She regularly treats patients with skin cancer, utilizing the latest technologies to remove the cancer and stop it from spreading. 

Book an appointment with Dr. Klause online or call our office today to learn more about your treatment options for skin cancer. 

Common types of skin cancer

Your skin is your largest organ. If you have skin cancer, abnormal cells grow in the epidermis, or top layer of your skin. Different types of skin cancer develop when different skin cells are affected by cancerous growth.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are the two most common types of skin cancer. They are often the result of sun exposure or using artificial tanning beds. If you have very light skin, light-colored eyes, or light-colored hair, you might be at an increased risk for these types of skin cancer.

Melanoma is rarer than BCC or SCC, but it’s also a more dangerous form of skin cancer. Melanoma is more likely to spread to surrounding tissue and other areas of your body faster than other skin cancers.

You should have suspicious areas of skin examined for the possibility of skin cancer. A biopsy is the most common test for cancer, and it involves taking a small sample of skin cells, which we then send to a lab for analysis. 

Treatment options for skin cancer

Skin cancer can spread to deeper layers of skin and other areas of your body if it’s not treated early. That’s why early diagnosis and treatment are crucial when it comes to staying healthy. 

The treatment options for skin cancer depend on the type of skin cancer that you have, along with the stage of the cancer. If your skin biopsy shows cancer, Dr. Klause talk with you about the best type of skin cancer treatment for you. Here are some of the treatments that we use:

Cryotherapy

With cryotherapy, or freezing, Dr. Klause uses liquid nitrogen to freeze abnormal growths. Extremely cold temperatures kill the treated tissue, which falls off when it thaws. Cryotherapy or cryosurgery can be effective for small, early forms of skin cancer. 

Curettage and electrodesiccation

Curettage and electrodesiccation are a treatment option for many cases of BCC and some cases of SCC. Dr. Klause carefully cuts off the cancerous growth and scrapes away the remaining layers of cancerous cells with a specialized blade. Then she uses an electric needle to kill any remaining cancer cells. 

Radiation therapy

For more advanced skin cancers, Dr. Klause may recommend radiation therapy. She offers Grenz ray therapy, a form of mild radiation that kills cancerous cells. Dr. Klause can use radiation in combination with removal treatments, if it’s not possible for her to remove the entire growth with surgery.

Dr. Klause provides compassionate, effective care for skin cancer. Book an appointment to learn more about your treatment options by calling our office or requesting an appointment time using our online system.