Best Skin Cancer Treatment and Surgery Clinic in San Francisco
Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. Most skin cancers are caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays. For most people in the United States, the sun is the most common source of exposure to UV rays. Chronic exposure to the sun without taking steps to protect the skin increases one’s risk of skin cancer. Skin cancer if left untreated may be disfiguring, and even deadly.
Fortunately, most cases of skin cancer are completely treatable and even preventable.
At the California Center for Dermatologic Surgery, Dr. Carlson provides comprehensive management of skin cancer, including screening and examination of your skin for spots that are suspicious for skin cancer, complete treatment of all types of skin cancer and precancerous spots, assessment of your risk of skin cancer, and education regarding how to prevent and decrease your risk of skin cancer.
Common skin cancers treated
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Of all the different types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common. BCC usually appears as a slow-growing, raised bump or a flat, pink spot, or a sore on the skin that does not heal. While BCC can occur anywhere on the body, it most commonly affects areas exposed to the sun, such as the face, neck, scalp, and arms. When found early, BCC is highly treatable with surgery as well as non-surgical options. Dr. Carlson is a board-certified dermatologist with expertise in early detection and treatment of this, and all types of skin cancer.
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This type of skin cancer usually develops in people with fair skin who have had lots of sun exposure, radiation, or tanning bed use over many years of a person’s life. Common areas where these occur on the body are the scalp, face, ears, nose, hands, arms, and legs.
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Melanoma is often called the “most serious skin cancer” because it can spread from the skin to lymph nodes, and other parts of the body. When found early before it grows deep or spreads, melanoma is highly treatable with surgery.
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Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare skin cancer that arises in persons 50 years of age or older. Although this is an aggressive skin cancer that can spread to other organs in the body, those who are diagnosed early have the best outcomes.
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Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare skin cancer. It often begins as a brown or red spot on the skin, that continues to grow. Over time and without treatment, DFSP can grow into the fat, muscle and bone below the skin. Usually treated with Mohs surgery, this type of skin cancer has a high survival rate.
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Sebaceous carcinoma is a rare skin cancer that is most commonly seen on the face and on the skin around the eye. It is considered an aggressive skin cancer because it can spread. Found early and treated, treatment with surgery is often successful.
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Microcystic adnexal carcinoma (MAC) is a rare, slow-growing skin cancer that is thought to arise from sweat glands and hair follicles in the skin. Although it can occur anywhere on the body, it is usually found on the head and neck. When found early, it is usually treatable with surgery.
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Mohs surgery, also called Mohs micrographic surgery, is a specialized surgery technique that involves surgery to remove skin cancer from areas of skin such as the face, lips, eyelids, nose, ears, followed by the immediate examination of the removed cancer and surrounding skin under a microscope by the surgeon to ensure that the margins are clear of leftover cancer cells. If any cancer is seen under the microscope, more skin is removed layer by layer, but only in the area that contains additional cancer. This allows for removal of the entire cancer without taking any more normal skin than is absolutely necessary. For best outcomes and aesthetic results, it is important to be treated by a board-certified and fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon.
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Wide local excision is a common surgical treatment used for many types of skin cancer that are not on the head or face. Here, the surgeon removes the cancerous tumor along with a surrounding margin of healthy skin to ensure that all the cancer cells are gone, then immediately closes the incision using stitches. After the surgery, the removed tissue is sent to a pathologist to check if there are any remaining cancer cells at the edges of the removed tissue. If cancer cells are found at the margins, additional treatment may be needed.
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This is a surgical treatment for skin cancer, where the surgeon first uses a sharp instrument called a curette to scrape away the visible cancerous tumor from the skin, creating a clean wound. Then, a needle with an electrical current is applied to the wound to destroy any remaining cancer cells in the area with heat. The wound is not closed with stitches, and is instead allowed to heal over weeks. This is usually done for non-aggressive skin cancers on the arms and legs that are not very deep.
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Topical medications such as Imiquimod and 5-fluorouracil, may be applied to the skin where a cancer has been diagnosed with a biopsy, for a few weeks to destroy the cancer cells. This is a good treatment option for non-aggressive, early diagnosed skin cancers, that are only in the topmost layer of the skin and have not had a chance to grow deeper into the skin.
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In this treatment, a medication is injected with a needle under the skin at the site of a skin cancer, in order to kill the cancerous cells. This is a good option for only some types of skin cancers in locations that may be difficult to close with stitches, such as the skin in front of the shin bones.
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Cryosurgery involves spraying an extremely cold substance, such as liquid nitrogen, on a skin cancer or precancerous lesion to destroy the cancer and abnormal cells. This may be a good option for a very early skin cancer that has not had a chance to grow below the skin surface
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Long term exposure of skin to ultraviolet radiation causes a precancerous condition called actinic keratosis. At the California Center for Dermatologic Surgery, we offer a wide array of treatment options for this skin condition. These may include cryosurgery for individual lesions, and for multiple lesions, we offer comprehensive treatment with skin peels, topical chemotherapy, laser resurfacing to remove all of the facial precancerous spots in a single treatment. These treatments reduce the risk of developing skin cancers from these precancerous spots.
Our Treatment options
How Can I Tell If I have Skin Cancer?
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, with millions of new cases diagnosed each year. The most effective method for detecting skin cancer is to examine your own skin at home. It is important to check every part of your body, including your feet. Having a partner or friend that can check areas of your skin that are difficult to see, such as your back and scalp is helpful. Developing a routine of regularly checking your skin once a month while unclothed or getting dressed will help you identify any changes in your skin. It is important to see a dermatologist promptly if you find a spot on your skin that:
is changing
differs from the other spots or lesions on your skin
bleeds, itches, or fails to heal
is growing or enlarging At this visit, a biopsy of a new or changing skin lesion may be recommended by your dermatologist if the lesion appears suspicious for skin cancer or a precancerous lesion.
Upon your visit to a board-certified dermatologist for any of the above types of changing or new spots on your skin, the doctor will examine your skin and may recommend removal of the suspicious lesion with a biopsy procedure to confirm a diagnosis of a skin cancer.
How the Skin Cancer Screening Process Works
In addition to examining ones own skin monthly and seeing a dermatologist promptly for any changing or concerning skin lesions, persons who have had skin cancer should also routinely see a dermatologist for regular skin cancer screening examinations, as there is increased risk of developing additional skin cancers in persons who have already had this diagnosis. You may be directed by the dermatologist to have skin cancer screening examinations as frequently as 3 to 6 months, or once a year. A dermatologist may also recommend annual skin cancer screening examinations in persons with extensive tanning bed use, a history of abnormal moles removed in the past, a family history of melanoma in a first degree relative (parent, sibling, or child), or a history of receiving a transplanted organ such as a kidney or liver or heart transplant, as all of these conditions increase the risk of developing skin cancer. During the skin cancer screening check, the dermatologist examines your skin for any lesions that appear suspicious for skin cancer. These lesions are removed by biopsy and sent to a dermatopathologist for further examination under a microscope to make a diagnosis.
What to Expect During the Skin Cancer Removal Procedure
Lesions that appear to be suspicious for skin cancer to the dermatologist are removed quickly in the medical office by the dermatologist in a biopsy procedure. During the biopsy procedure, the skin is numbed with an anesthetic that is injected under the skin around the suspicious lesion. The lesion is then painlessly removed using a surgical tool, and is either left to heal on its own, or is closed with stitches. The removed piece of skin is placed in a jar, and sent to the pathologist for a prompt and accurate diagnosis. The pathology results of the biopsy are reviewed by the dermatologist after a few days or up to a week. If a skin cancer diagnosis is confirmed, a follow-up visit to discuss the best treatment options for one’s particular skin cancer is scheduled. The good news is that most skin cancers are fully treatable and curable with both surgery and non-surgical options.
A Dermatologist that Provides Outstanding Patient Care
When choosing a specialist to treat your diagnosed skin cancer, it is important to know that no one understands skin better than a board-certified dermatologist, and no other specialist understands skin cancer and the most up to date and comprehensive treatments than a fellowship-trained dermatologic surgeon. Dr. Ekama Carlson is especially trained in the comprehensive management of skin cancer, from diagnosis to carefully executed surgical treatments to provide the best outcomes for patients of all ages and skin types.
Our Office Serves the Entire Bay Area, Including Oakland, Berkeley, Marin County, the Peninsula and Beyond
With a central location in beautiful and quiet Pacific Heights, our San Francisco dermatology center offers safe, convenient, in-building garage parking, easy access to public transportation, and garage parking for bikes. Visiting our dermatology clinic from anywhere in the Bay Area is a breeze!