MedicalConspiracies- Cancer treatment with blue light

Skin Cancer Treatment in the Greater Lansing Area

and Mid-Michigan

  http://www.doctorsapproach.com/skin-cancer-treatment-okemos-lansing-and-east-lansing-mi.html

Here at Doctor’s Approach Dermatology and Skin Care Center, we know skin cancer. Founder and Medical Director of Doctor’s Approach, Dr. Marcy Street is a board certified dermatologist and the first African-American female, fellowship trained, Mohs surgeon. She is the only fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon in the Lansing area and has over 20 years of experience.

What does it mean to be a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon?

The benefits of choosing a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon are numerous, but you can be assured that you will receive the highest standard of quality and competency, as well as an optimal outcome. Mohs fellowships are awarded to a select few dermatologists each year. Not all dermatologists who say they perform Mohs surgery are actually fellowship- trained Mohs surgeons. You should decide whether it’s important to you that your surgeon has been highly trained in one of these internationally recognized fellowships as this is one of the best ways to ensure you will receive a standardized level of skill. Mohs College fellows undergo one year of extensive, hands-on training directly from highly qualified instructors, and in that time complete more than 1000 Mohs surgeries. After completing a three-year dermatology residency at the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Street went to the University of Wisconsin to complete her Mohs fellowship. At times during her training, she was directly working with Dr. Frederic Mohs who developed the procedure.

Dr. Street is trained in Blu-light, or Photodynamic Therapy, for precancerous lesions and was featured on the TV show The Doctors discussing this treatment.She and the Doctor’s Approach team are also trained in MelaFind for melanoma. Melafind is a non-invasive digital device that can “see” into the layers of skin to where the naked eye cannot. It can map the growth of a mole and gather data that can help determine whether it is a health risk. Why go anywhere else when you can have comprehensive, excellent care in Mid-Michigan! Learn more about Dr. Street by clicking here.

"Dr. Street and staff are wonderful! They are professional, kind, and great at helping me understand the procedures they use in taking care of my skin issues and explaining how to care for my wounds when at home. They always answer my questions with patience and kindness. I've had a couple of MOHS procedures done and have at times been very nervous when I come to the office. They are all wonderful about putting me at ease before, during, and after each procedure."- Jacqueline M.

"All staff is very professional and friendly. Patient care was excellent -saved my life! Thank you for taking care of me and my skin:)" -Kathrine P.

 Why go anywhere else when you can have the best in Mid-Michigan! To learn more about the Doctor's Approach Dermatolgy Clinical Team click here.

What is Mohs surgery? It is a special skin cancer removal technique. The Mohs procedure involves surgically removing skin cancer layer by layer and examining the tissue under a microscope until healthy, cancer-free tissue around the tumor is reached. This precise method minimizes the chance of cancer regrowth and lessens the likelihood of scarring and disfigurement. Because the Mohs College surgeon is specially trained as a cancer surgeon, pathologist, and reconstructive surgeon, Mohs surgery has the highest success rate of all treatments for skin cancer – up to 99%, even if other forms of skin cancer treatment have failed. Mohs is indicated for Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and some Melanomas. It also offers the most pleasing cosmetic results.

Types of Skin Cancer

Basal Cell Carcinoma, or BCC, is the most common form of skin cancer. Fortunately, the cure rate is high, close to 100%, when they are detected and treated early. So what are the warning signs? You are at risk for BCC if you have one or more of the following:

• Fair Skin

• Blond or red hair

• Blue or green eyes

• Family history of skin cancer

• Weakened immune system

• Received radiation therapy

• Exposure to coal tar or arsenic.

• Increased sun exposure

Age is also a risk factor. BCC can occur at any age, but the risk of developing this skin cancer increases significantly with age.

What does BCC look like?

• Shiny bump or nodule, pearly or translucent and can be pink, red, or white. 

• Open sore that bleeds, oozes, or crusts.

• A pink growth with a slightly elevated or rolled border.

• A reddish patch or irritated area that might bleed, itch, or hurt.

• A scar-like area that is white, yellow, or waxy, with poorly defined borders.

• A lesion that will not heal.

 

Squamous Cell Carcinoma, or SCC, is the other most common form of skin cancer. SCC can appear as thick, rough, scaly patches that may bleed or become irritated easily. They can look like warts or open sores with a raised border and a crusted surface over an elevated pebbly base. 

What does SCC look like?

• Wart-like growth that crusts or bleeds.

• An open sore that will not heal.

• A persistent, scaly red patch with irregular borders that sometimes crusts or bleeds.

• An elevated growth with a central depression that occasionally bleeds. It may rapidly increase in size.

 

Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Melanomas often resemble moles and some even develop from moles. The majority of melanomas are black or brown, but they can also be skin-colored, pink, red, purple, blue or white. Melanoma is caused mainly by intense, occasional UV exposure (frequently leading to sunburn), especially in those who are genetically predisposed to the disease. It is important to remember that Melanoma can affect all skin types and to have full body screenings yearly. Anyone, regardless of skin type or sun exposure history, can get Melanoma.

If melanoma is recognized and treated early, it is almost always curable, but if it is not, the cancer can advance and spread to other parts of the body, where it becomes hard to treat and can be fatal. While it is not the most common of the skin cancers, it causes the most deaths. The American Cancer Society estimates that at present, about 120,000 new cases of melanoma in the US are diagnosed in a year.

 

ABCDEs of Melanoma Skin Cancer

 

Source: Webmd.com, NCI Visuals Online. Skin Cancer Foundation. http://visualsonline.cancer.gov/about.cfm

• Asymmetry. One half doesn't match the appearance of the other half.
• Border irregularity. The edges are ragged, notched, or blurred.
• Color. The color (pigmentation) is not uniform. Shades of tan, brown, and black are present. Dashes of red, white, and blue add to a mottled appearance.
• Diameter. The size of the mole is greater than 1/4 inch (6 mm), about the size of a pencil eraser. Any growth of a mole should be evaluated.
• Evolution. There is a change in the size, shape, symptoms (such as itching or tenderness), surface (especially bleeding), or color of a mole.

Precancers

Actinic keratosis (AK) 

AKs are the most common type of precancerous skin lesion.  The more time someone spends in the sun over the years, the greater their chances of developing one or more AKs. Once one develops, others may have developed as well, and this puts you at a greater risk for developing invasive skin cancer. AKs appear on skin surfaces that are exposed to the sun or other forms of UV light (like tanning beds). This means that the face, lips, ears, scalp, back of the hands, forearms, and chest are most likely. They look like small crusty or scaly bumps, and can be tan, pink, or red. 

Treatment Options

Cryosurgery

Liquid Nitrogen may be used to treat most precancerous lesions. Your dermatologist will apply this with a spray device or cotton-tip applicator. This freezes the abnormal cells, which blister or become crusted and then fall off. 

Topical Medications

When there are many AKs or they are spread over a larger body area, your dermatologist may recommend a topical cream or gel. These treat the visible and invisible lesions with a minimal risk of scarring. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a combination of acid peels, diclofenac, imiquimod, and Picato are also topical treatment options.

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)

PDT, or Blu light, is FDA-approved in the treatment of AK’s, and is performed in the physician’s office. It is useful for widespread lesions on the face and scalp. A light-sensitizing agent is applied to the area and allowed to incubate. The area is then exposed to a strong blue light which selectively destroys the AKs while causing minimal damage to the surrounding normal tissue. Redness, discomfort, and sun sensitivity can occur in the treated areas, and it is recommended that sunlight and UV exposure be strictly avoided for 48 hours after treatment. At Doctor's Approach, we have the only Blu-light therapy in the area. Dr. Street was also featured on The Doctors discussing this treatment option. Click here to watch the segment and learn more.

Combination Therapies

Your physician may combine treatment therapies to treat precancerous lesions. Liquid nitrogen may be used along with Blu-light or a topical cream, for example. The topical agents and Blu-light may also be used one after the next every 3, 6, or 12 months, depending on your needs. 

For more information on Skin Cancer Treatment in the greater Lansing and Mid-Michigan area, call Doctor's Approach at (517) 993-5900.