Basal Cell Carcinoma Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Mohs Surgery
- George Woodbury
- May 5
- 5 min read
by Memphis Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury Jr. 05/05/2025
Skin Cancer, including Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Skin Carcinoma, and Melanoma, takes the lives of upwards of 20,000 Americans every year. That’s one person about every 26 minutes. Fortunately, Skin Cancer should be visible, and early detection can lead to earlier treatment, saving lives. Let’s take a look at a technique called Mohs Surgery, or Mohs Micrographic Surgery, which can be used to treat certain Basal Cell Skin Cancers and Squamous Cell Skin Cancers, my Memphis Dermatology practice having been with Rheumatology and Dermatology Associates, Cordova, TN, since 1993 (1-901-753-0168; 8143 Walnut Grove Road, Cordova TN 38018; www.Rheumderm.com/dermatology).
First, what are skin cancer symptoms, and what does skin cancer look like?
Dermatologists like myself look for what we call the A, B, C, D, E warning signs:
A stands for Asymmetry: one half of the lesion does not match the other half.
B stands for Border: a jagged border, perhaps like the coast of Maine, rather than of Florida.
C stands for Color change: different hues of brown or black within the lesion, or one mole that’s a darker color than the person’s other moles.
D stands for an increasing Diameter of the lesion
E stands for Evolving: if the lesion is changing, it’s best to bring it to the attention of a Dermatologist.
The main types of Skin Cancer are Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and Melanoma, and there are many more rare types, including Merkel Cell Carcinoma, Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma, and Sweat Gland Carcinoma. Basal Cell Skin Cancer and Squamous Cell Skin Cancer usually present with a red or shiny, crusted and sometimes itchy or sore, raised or flat growth in the skin, particularly in sun-exposed areas of the body. Melanoma, also called Malignant Melanoma, is often a pigmented or dark lesion with various shades of brown, black, or gray within itself, and it can occur on any part of the body, particularly on the trunk in men and the legs in women.
The development of soreness or itching within a lesion can be a sign that it’s turned cancerous. So it’s an especially good idea to get a sore or itchy lesion checked by a Board-certified Dermatologist. But it’s not a good idea to wait until a lesion starts to bleed, because it may already have spread internally or metastasized at that point. Get a Skin Cancer Screening by a Board-certified Dermatologist early, especially if you are high risk for Skin Cancer: burn or freckle easily, blue eyes or blonde hair, prior history of one or more severe sunburns, or if you work in or play in the sun.
We know what action to take for suspicious moles or growths: if caught early, generally a Dermatologic Surgeon like myself will use a simple removal, or “excision” of the lesion under local anesthetic. If the lesion turns out to be a precancerous lesion – such as a high-risk atypical mole – or perhaps a severely atypical solar keratosis or actinic keratosis - or a full-fledged skin cancer - we often try to ensure that the lesion is completely out – by doing what’s called a “reexcision.”
Mohs Surgery – available in my own practice as a Memphis Dermatologist since 2004 – is a special technique in which the Skin Cancer is cut out – and then processed right in the office – to check whether the borders of the specimen removed are clear of cancer or not. If those borders are not clear, we can then do a further stage or cycle or Mohs surgery to check once again for clear borders. Mohs Surgery, also called Mohs Micrographic Surgery, is used by many Dermatologists for Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma that’s in areas of the body where 1.) the Dermatologist wishes to conserve the amount of skin removed, like the face or neck, genital area or the hand or the feet; or 2.) for cases where the particular subtype of Skin Cancer is high risk – such as what’s called a Morpheaform Basal Cell Carcinoma or a highly undifferentiated Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and 3.) for recurrent Skin Cancers of any part of the body. Melanoma can be treated by Mohs Surgery but many Dermatologists find it easier to read the microscope slides by standard processing so many of us do not use the Mohs technique for Melanoma.
For more tips on Melanoma and for Melanoma pictures, check out a short movie sponsored by myself as a Cordova Dermatologist: YouTube: “Understanding the Melanoma Crisis: Scarlet’s Story.” It tells the story of Scarlet, a 26 year old student studying to be a teacher at Ole Miss who found out while seven months pregnant that she had metastatic Melanoma.
My own Memphis Dermatology practice these last 30 years has been with Rheumatology and Dermatology Associates, in Cordova, TN (1-901-753-0168; https://www.Rheumderm.com). Or you can find a “Dermatologist Near Me” or “Best Dermatologist Near Me” by going to the American Academy of
For more helpful tips and photos of melanoma, go to the Skin Cancer Foundation website: https://www.skincancer.org.
I am also President of Big River Silk Skincare Inc, manufacturer and distributor of organic skincare products such as antiwrinkle cream GlycoShea Facial&Neck Lotion with Glycolic Acid, AmberSoy Soap Gel (a soft glycerine cleaner for people with oily skin or complexion issues), and HypoShea Moisturizer Cream (a Refined Shea Butter moisturizer for people with sensitive skin). Check us out at www.Bigriversilkskinare.com.
So see spot. See spot change. See a Dermatologist!
George Woodbury Jr. M.D.
8143 Walnut Grove Road
Cordova TN 38018
1-901-753-0168 Info@rheumderm.com
05/05/2025
Comments