Stage one melanoma surgery consists of the simple, in-office removal of the cancerous cells by a dermatologist. If the cancer has spread beyond .08mm thickness, you’ll need a more involved surgery.
Unlike stage one, surgeons or surgical oncologists remove stage two and three melanomas. Additionally, a sentinel lymph node biopsy will likely be performed to help identify whether the melanoma has spread and, if so, to which lymph nodes.
Read More The surgeon will clean the area and inject a local anesthetic. You may also receive sedation to help you relax. During the procedure, your surgeon removes the cancerous tissue and some surrounding healthy tissue. A pathologist examines the tissue under a microscope. The goal of surgery is to remove all cancerous cells while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible. The pathologist will make sure the sample shows enough healthy tissue margins and that no cancer cells remain in the body. You may experience side effects following surgery, the most common being pain and swelling. This usually subsides within two weeks. You may also have a scar where the cancer was removed.
Having surgery for melanoma can be a scary experience, but the intention is to remove as much cancer as possible. With proper staging, your surgeon can give you an idea of what to expect and how best to treat the cancer.
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