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Lab work is an essential part of the diagnostic process during Mohs surgery, a minimally invasive treatment for skin cancer. At Skin Cancer Specialists, Grant Heinz, MD, and Daniel Skinner, MD, use an on-site laboratory that provides live results quickly to optimize your Mohs surgery outcome. Call the Mesa, Arizona, office today to learn more about the benefits of an on-site laboratory.
On-Site Laboratory Q&A
What services are available through the on-site laboratory?
Skin Cancer Specialists offer the convenience of an on-site laboratory to get the most detailed information about your Mohs surgery results without long wait times.
Mohs surgery is a procedure to remove one layer of skin at a time until no cancer cells are present in the layers. The providers rely on the on-site laboratory for real-time results throughout your surgery.
The lab analyzes the skin sample while your Mohs surgery is ongoing so the physicians can determine when no cancer cells remain. The information they receive from the lab also helps them identify the margins of surrounding healthy tissue they should remove to prevent cancer from spreading elsewhere.
Why would I need on-site laboratory testing?
You may be a candidate for the on-site laboratory testing available at Skin Cancer Specialists if you’re undergoing Mohs surgery to treat:
Basal carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma is a skin cancer that begins in the basal cells on the outermost layer of your skin. This type of cancer forms on the face, arms, and other areas that receive frequent sun exposure.
Squamous cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma forms in the flat cells near the skin’s surface. Like basal cell carcinoma, this type of skin cancer develops due to exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun.
Melanoma
Melanoma is an aggressive type of cancer that begins in the pigment cells (melanocytes) that give skin its color. Melanoma is a less common but potentially more harmful cancer that is more likely to spread outside of its original location.
What are the benefits of on-site laboratory testing?
The on-site laboratory provides fast diagnostic information during Mohs micrographic surgery. The surgeons remove single layers of suspicious tissue at a time and examine it under a microscope while you wait. They repeat the process until there are no longer signs of cancer present.
Because melanoma is a particularly aggressive form of skin cancer, urgent treatment is typically necessary to prevent cancer-related complications. The on-site laboratory ensures the physicians have the detailed information they need throughout Mohs surgery to eliminate all cancer cells before they spread.
Call Skin Cancer Specialists today to learn more about the benefits of on-site laboratory testing or book an appointment online.