When facing a skin cancer diagnosis, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is choosing the right treatment. For many patients, Mohs micrographic surgery offers the best possible outcome, with cure rates up to 99% for newly diagnosed skin cancers and approximately 94% for recurrent cases. These outcomes are supported by long-standing clinical research and are one reason Mohs is widely considered the gold standard for treating many basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers.
Unlike traditional excision, which removes a tumor along with a predetermined margin of surrounding tissue, Mohs surgery takes a more precise approach. Developed by Dr. Frederic Mohs in the 1930s and refined over decades, this technique allows the surgeon to examine 100% of the tissue margins during the procedure itself.
Here’s how it works: the surgeon removes a thin layer of tissue and immediately examines it under a microscope, mapping exactly where cancer cells remain. If cancer is detected at any edge, another layer is removed only from that specific area. This process continues until the margins are completely clear.
This real-time analysis is the key to the procedure’s exceptional success rate. Traditional methods often rely on examining only representative sections of the margins, which can potentially miss microscopic extensions of the tumor.
Mohs surgery achieves cure rates of 99% for primary basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas—the two most common forms of skin cancer. For tumors that have recurred after previous treatment, the cure rate remains remarkably high at approximately 94%.
By comparison, standard surgical excision typically achieves cure rates between 92% and 95% for primary tumors. While these numbers are still good, the difference becomes significant when you consider the consequences of recurrence: additional surgeries, increased scarring, and the psychological burden of facing cancer again.
Beyond its superior cure rate, Mohs surgery offers another critical advantage: it preserves the maximum amount of healthy tissue. Because the surgeon removes cancer layer by layer rather than cutting wide margins, the resulting wound is often smaller than what traditional surgery would leave behind.
This matters most for skin cancers in cosmetically and functionally sensitive areas: the face, ears, nose, eyelids, lips, hands, and feet. In these locations, preserving even a few millimeters of healthy tissue can make a meaningful difference in both appearance and function after healing.
While Mohs surgery is highly effective, it’s not necessary for every skin cancer. Your dermatologist may recommend this approach when the cancer is located in a high-risk area where tissue preservation matters, has aggressive features under the microscope, has returned after previous treatment, has borders that are difficult to define visually, or is large or growing rapidly.
The success of Mohs surgery depends not only on the technique itself but also on the specialized training of the surgeon performing it. Dr. Leah Spring, founder of Capital Skin and Laser, is a double board-certified dermatologist and Fellowship-Trained Mohs Micrographic Surgeon. She completed her dual fellowship in Mohs Micrographic Surgery & Cutaneous Oncology and Cosmetic Dermatologic Surgery at SkinCare Physicians in Boston.
As a Fellow of the American College of Mohs Surgery, a distinction reserved for surgeons who have completed advanced fellowship training, Dr. Spring brings expertise in tumor pathology, complex reconstruction, and advanced treatment techniques. She is the only dermatologist in the Midlands fellowship trained in both Mohs surgery and cosmetic dermatology, allowing her to deliver both optimal cancer removal and superior aesthetic outcomes.
A skin cancer diagnosis is understandably concerning, but advances in treatment mean that most skin cancers are highly curable when caught early and treated appropriately. Mohs surgery represents the gold standard for many patients, combining the highest cure rates with the most conservative tissue removal.
If you’ve been diagnosed with skin cancer or have a suspicious lesion that needs evaluation, contact Capital Skin and Laser in South Columbia to learn more about your treatment options and whether Mohs surgery may be right for you.
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