Skin cancer screening & treatment
Skin Cancer Screening & Treatment in West Lafayette, IN
You’ve had moles and freckles all your life, so you may not think too much about watching them, let alone tracking them for changes; however, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, approximately one in five Americans will develop skin cancer over their lifetime. Turning to our team once a year for a comprehensive skin cancer screening is crucial for early cancer detection.
Skin Cancer Screening
Did you know that everyone, regardless of risk, should be getting a skin cancer screening from a qualified dermatologist? These annual screenings allow our team to monitor any changes in moles that could be signs of cancer. We can also biopsy tissue that looks suspicious and catch skin cancer early through these evaluations. Screenings only take a few minutes but could save your life.
What to Look for
Between these annual screenings, you should also be checking your skin every month to look for any changes in moles, from new moles that you’ve never seen before to moles that might be changing shape, color or size. Our team should also evaluate moles that bleed, crust or are painful.
Treating Your Skin Cancer
There are many ways our dermatologists can treat your skin cancer, and the treatment plan we create for you will be based on certain factors such as the type of skin cancer, the stage of your cancer, the size of the growth and your overall health. The most common types of skin cancer treatment include,
- Radiation
- Chemotherapy
- Surgery
- Photodynamic therapy
- Biologic therapy
- Targeted therapy
The “Gold Standard” Skin Cancer Treatment
While many surgical procedures are used to treat skin cancer, the most common type is Mohs surgery. This is a great treatment option because it slowly and carefully removes layer after layer of the growth to preserve as much healthy tissue around it as possible. While Mohs surgery can take hours to complete, it’s an excellent option for someone whose skin cancer is in a delicate area such as the face, where tissue preservation is critical.