Jill Biden underwent a common outpatient procedure known as Mohs surgery to remove and examine cancerous lesions, but what exactly is the procedure and who needs it?
The 71-year-old first lady had surgeons remove a cancerous lesion above her right eye and one on her chest, the White House said Wednesday, while a third lesion on her left eyelid was being examined. Her press secretary said the first lady returned to the White House later that evening, and was “doing well and in good spirits.”
The procedure she underwent is a common one, typically performed on basal or squamous cell carcinomas. Biden was said to have basal cell carcinoma.
“Mohs surgery sounds very complicated, but Mohs surgery is a very simple procedure that is designed to take out small non-melanoma skin cancers, and sometimes melanoma, in a way that will ensure that all of the cancer cells are out, but as much normal skin as possible is preserved,” said Dr. Murad Alam, a professor of dermatology at Northwestern Medicine.
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Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer, but also the most curable form. It's considered highly treatable, especially when caught early.
With six million cases of skin cancer diagnosed every year in the U.S., Alam says it’s important to know that skin cancer is often curable when treated early.
“Squamous cell carcinomas absolutely can move to other parts, they can go to other organs cause grave harm,” Alam said. “It's really important to catch these things when they're small.”
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Garth Fowler had a red, scaly patch of skin on his forehead burned off once before, so he was surprised when it came back about a month ago.
“I went to the dermatologist and they did a small biopsy and said that indeed it was some skin cancer,” Fowler said.
Fowler immediately scheduled an appointment at Northwestern Medicine to have the patch removed through Mohs surgery.
“It's a lot of back and forth. They come in and they take off a little piece and then you go and sit and wait while they do a biopsy and look at the sample that they took and then decide, 'Oh, do we need to take a little bit more?'” Fowler said.
The Mohs surgery involves cutting away thin layers of skin and examining each layer for signs of cancer. Doctors keep removing and examining layers of skin until there are no signs of cancer.
“This is not a painful or difficult procedure. And by doing this, you can avoid a lot of problems downstream,” Alam said.
Dermatologists recommend yearly skin checks for those who are considered to be at risk for skin cancer.
“If you are Caucasian, in particular, but now we find even Hispanic and African American people as well, but definitely if you have fair skin, it is a good idea to have an annual checkup if you have any family history or any risk at all,” Alam said.
