Cancer treatments are constantly being changed and updated. Patients who will be undergoing these treatments, especially surgical ones, always want to know what the possible side effects or complications are. Those undergoing surgery for basal cell carcinoma though have relatively few complications to worry about, though.
Definition
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common, non-melanoma skin cancer. Though rarely fatal, basal cell carcinomas can cause a good deal of damage to the person's body by sinking into the surrounding tissue and bone if they aren't treated quickly. Surgery is a common, though not the only, treatment option for basal cell carcinomas.
Surgery
There are two common surgeries used to remove basal cell carcinomas: surgical excision and moh's surgery. With the excision the cancerous area is cut out, along with a small amount of healthy tissue all around the cancer just to be sure it's completely gone. With moh's surgery the tumors are peeled away one layer at a time and looked at under a microscope until there are no more cancerous cells. The latter method requires special training, but it also takes away the absolute minimum of healthy tissue and leaves much less scarring.
Recurrence
The biggest complication associated with basal cell carcinoma is recurrence. The tumors associated with this skin cancer are very difficult to remove completely, and they often come back in the same place they were in before. This is especially true if the patient initially had more than one tumor on the trunk of their body.
Spreading
Basal cell carcinomas which are caught and treated early on are usually easy to remove. However, if the carcinoma escaped notice then surgeons may find that the basal cell carcinoma has spread to other tissues, and even potentially bone.
Infection
With both types of surgery, infection can be a risk. With excision, healthy tissues are opened up to the operating room and exposed in a large quantity. With moh's surgery a smaller area is left open, but it's opened one layer at a time over a long period of time. Both situations, if not carefully handled, can lead to an infection in the area operated on.
Tags: basal cell, cell carcinoma, cell carcinomas, basal cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinomas, associated with, healthy tissue
