Types of Skin Cancer We Treat
Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, but your experience is unique. Our Cancer Care team has significant expertise treating patients with different kinds of skin cancer including:
- Basal cell carcinoma. This cancer is the most common form of skin cancer and is highly treatable. It starts in the basal layer of your skin, which produces new skin cells.
- Melanoma. This type of skin cancer is less common but more aggressive than other forms. It begins in the melanocytes, or cells that produce skin pigment.
- Squamous cell carcinoma. This common skin cancer starts in the top layer of your skin (squamous cells) and is very treatable.
Symptoms & Diagnosis
Skin cancer can lead to changes in your skin like new or changing moles, growths, spots or lesions. You may be at risk of this cancer if you have had a lot of exposure to UV light or if you have fair skin or light-colored eyes. You can lower your risk of developing ski cancer by protecting yourself from the sun, including wearing sunscreen and protective clothing and seeking shade whenever possible. If you think you are at risk, speak with your doctor about getting regular skin cancer screenings from a dermatologist.
You should also make sure to regularly check yourself for changes in your moles, growths and spots, looking for shifts in color and size, irregular borders and growths that are asymmetrical. If you find anything that is new or looks questionable, reach out to your doctor so we can learn more.
Your care team will take a tissue sample (biopsy) of any suspicious growths to check for or diagnose cancer. If these exams are abnormal, we refer you for a cancer consultation with an oncologist, dermatologist or plastic surgeon who has experience treating skin cancer. These experts review your test results and medical history to learn more about your diagnosis and form a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
We know learning you have skin cancer can feel scary. That’s why we are committed to seeing you as quickly as possible for a consultation after your diagnosis so we can discuss treatment options, order additional tests and address any questions without delay.. Fortunately, when caught early, skin cancer is highly treatable.
Treatments
No two skin cancers are alike, and you deserve a personalized care plan tailored to your needs and type of skin cancer. Each week, the Cancer Care team convenes a tumor board that brings together experts from across disciplines to collaborate on customized care plans for you. This collaboration has one common goal — to make sure you get the best possible care. Our multidisciplinary team of specialists, including dermatologists, plastic surgeons radiologists and pathologists, is here to care for you through every part of your treatment.
Surgery
Surgery is often the first-line treatment for skin cancer. Your surgeon may cut out the tumor, scrape tissue away and burn (cauterize) the wound to kill cancer cells, or use liquid nitrogen to freeze the tumor (cryosurgery).
Mohs surgery is a specific procedure used to treat skin cancer. During this surgery, we will cut off a thin layer of skin, examine the cells for cancer, then repeat trimming layers of skin until all cancer cells are gone. This procedure limits the amount of your healthy tissue we remove while ensuring we get all the cancer out — thereby curbing the need for future surgeries and other treatments.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy can be used in intravenous (IV), pill or cream form to treat skin cancer. We work with you to determine if chemotherapy is a good option for your skin cancer and collaborate on the right combination of anticancer drugs, anti-nausea medicine and pain medication for your needs. Targeted drugs can also be an effective treatment in fighting skin cancer while preserving your healthy tissue. El Camino Health is at the forefront of community hospitals using this treatment. We analyze your cancer to learn its protein and chemical makeup, then determine which drugs will have the maximum effect in fighting it.
Laser Therapy
Depending on your skin cancer, your care team may recommend laser therapy. This therapy uses light energy to destroy cancer cells and can be effective in fighting some kinds of skin cancer, especially those on the skin’s surface.
Clinical Trials
We’re always looking for new ways to improve detection, ease treatment and find better cures for your skin cancer. That’s why we collaborate with other medical centers and the National Cancer Institute on skin cancer clinical trials ranging from innovative immunotherapy to radiation therapy to chemotherapy modifications.
If you’re interested in participating in this leading-edge research, talk to your care team to find a study that’s right for you.
Cancer Awards & Accreditations
Our superior Cancer Care has earned us a three-year accreditation as a comprehensive community cancer program from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Accreditation ensures that the care you receive right here in your community is high-quality and uses evidence-based, national treatment guidelines.
We’re also an ACS Surgical Quality Partner and committed to the highest surgery standards.
Patients rate us highly, too. Based on PressGaney patient satisfaction surveys, our “likeliness to recommend” score is over 90%, and we’ve won the top patient experience award multiple years in a row.
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Cancer Patient Stories
You are our inspiration. Hear how El Camino Health Cancer Care has helped other patients beat cancer — and how we can support you at every step of the way.
