The incidence of melanoma is increasing by about one million new cases a year. Surgical intervention for these cancers is recommended in nearly every case. The most common form of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, is removed by an excision or by Moh's surgery, followed by microscopic examination. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common skin cancer, and is more likely to infiltrate the surrounding tissue, nerves and lymphatics than a basal cell carcinoma. These lesions result either from actinic keratoses or de novo.
Treatment is generally with excision.
Malignant melanomas usually occur on the skin, but are also found on mucosal surfaces, and in later stages on internal organs. They can spread radially, vertically or in both directions. Depending on the size, shape and location of the tumor, it may be removed by excisional biopsy or by Moh's surgery. The plastic surgeon chooses among a variety of reconstruction techniques to provide an aesthetically pleasing and functional closure to the wound.