Mohs Surgery Center | Orlando

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Established for more than 25 years, our Orlando dermatology practice has now grown to 17 locations in Central Florida to meet the growing demand for advanced skin cancer treatment. It has now become the leading skin cancer practice in Central Florida.

Skin Cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States and 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Each year, there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.*

What is Mohs Surgery?

Attributed to Dr. Frederic Mohs, the microscopically controlled Mohs surgery is a highly specialized treatment using detailed mapping techniques for the removal of skin cancer tumors, which can have difficult-to-detect roots that spread into the skin, and along blood vessels, nerves or cartilage. Mohs Surgery is performed by physicians with specialized training in its use since it requires detailed knowledge of skin anatomy, skin cancer, pathology as well as advanced surgical skills.

What Are the Advantages of Mohs Surgery?

Since Mohs surgery consists of removing thin layers of cancer-bearing skin and microscopically examining the area until it is tumor-free, the MOHS surgeon can pinpoint areas involved with cancer that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye, therefore, even the smallest microscopic roots of cancer can be removed. It offers skin cancer patients the most minimal recurrence rate, in addition to optimal preservation of uninvolved tissue and, therefore, minimal scarring. In fact, Mohs surgery has been shown to have a 99 percent or better cure rate for basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer.*

This procedure does not require general anesthesia, which permits its use on many patients who are poor candidates for conventional surgery.

How is Mohs Surgery Performed?

Mohs surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure and allows patients to return home the same day. It involves anesthetizing the area around the lesion and removing all the visible cancer cells, including a thin layer of healthy tissue. According to Dr. Steppie, this procedure is unique because the patient waits while the specimen is cut into sections or wedges, stained and carefully oriented to a map.

The specimen is frozen in a refrigerated chamber, and a microtome blade is used to shave a paper-thin layer of tissue from all the surfaces of the "crust." These thin slices are placed on a slide for examination under a microscope.

The Mohs surgeon carefully examines the specimen for extensions that might have breached the crust of healthy skin. If an extension is identified, it is compared to the map to pinpoint where it was located at the lesion site. The surgeon removes additional tissue from that location only and spares the healthy tissue in remaining sections.

Typically, as long as cancer cells are seen anywhere within the specimen, the surgeon continues to remove and examine tissue layers from that section of the wound until none are present. Typically, most cancers are cleared in one or two stages.

Click here for a graphical view of the Mohs Micrographic Surgery Technique.

Will the Surgery Leave a Scar?

Since Mohs surgery removes as little normal tissue as possible, scarring is minimized. After the skin cancer has been completely removed, a decision will be made on the best method for treating the wound created by the surgery. The site may be repaired the same day or at a later date. In addition to the repair, additional reconstruction may be necessary at a later date depending on the anatomic location, size of the cancer and excision site. Return visits will be scheduled for evaluation of the surgical site, bandage changes and removal of stitches.

*SOURCE: Skin Cancer Foundation and American Academy of Dermatology.