Skin Cancers / Moles

Αρχική | Reconstructive Surgery | Skin Cancers / Moles

Skin Cancers / Moles - What is it

The skin is the largest organ of our body. It is reasonable, therefore, to be the field of a big variety of lesions. As benign lesions are classified various nevi, papillomas, lipomas, hyperkeratoses and cysts , excision of which is usually done under local anesthesia only for cosmetic or prophylactic reasons.

Prevention is always superior to treatment, which is why early detection is the best treatment for skin lesions. Any change in appearance or character (pruritus – bleeding- size change) of a preexisting nevus and any rapidly evolving new nevi should be examined by a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist the soonest possible. In particular, any lesion presenting one or more of the following characteristics should be considered suspicious:
A-symmetry
B-order irregularity
C-olor changes or discoloration
D-iameter > 0,6 cm

Indications

The most common malignant skin lesions are basal cell carcinoma(BCC), squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) and malignant melanoma (mal-mel). Surgical resection in healthy limits is imperative in these cases. In the first two cases resection itself usually gives a definitive solution, while melanoma may need further screening and adjuvant therapy (wider excision and / or lymphadenectomy).

Technique

In most cases suturing of the wound edges after the excision is enough, while in larger lesions we may need a local flap or skin graft in order to cover the defect. The histological examination determines if further treatment is required.