Skin Cancer Sydney

TREATMENTS

There are two main interventional treatments for skin cancers, and these are usually able to be performed at our clinic under local anaesthetic.

LASER THERAPY

Using our laser treatments, we can treat many benign sunspots as well as some very superficial or precancerous skin cancers. It is not used to treat melanoma skin cancers. Occasionally the lesion may need further treatment, a different treatment, or may require a biopsy.

EXCISION

Any skin cancer that is not suitable for less invasive management will require formal surgical excision. These are often performed in or clinic under local anaesthetic.
The surgery in our clinic involves removing the entire visible skin cancer with a healthy margin of normal appearing skin to maximise the chance of complete removal of all microscopic (non-visible) skin cancer often hiding adjacent to the visible lesion.
The wounds are then carefully repaired using several layers of stitches. Often, for slightly more complex lesions a local “skin flap” or skin graft may be required to reconstruct the area.
However, any complex lesions or those in aesthetically sensitive areas may require a formal excision in a private hospital under sedation or a general anesthetic.

RECONSTRUCTION

Often a skin cancer, dependent on its size and/or anatomical location, is not suitable to be surgically removed and simply stitched back together. Such lesions may require complex surgical techniques to reconstruct them and ensure an optimal aesthetic outcome, whilst at the same time not compromising the primary issue of cancer removal. These complex cases will usually be performed in a private hospital under sedation or with a full general anaesthetic.

ONGOING MONITORING

A vital part of skin cancer management is the ongoing monitoring and surveillance required. This is necessary to assess for any recurrent disease, or the development of new cancers elsewhere. As the commonest cause of skin cancer is sun exposure, then unfortunately all the skin in the surrounding area of the recently managed skin cancer has been subjected to the same sun trauma and as such will need regular reviews. Prevention of further damage with the appropriate skin care, and the early detection and management of any future problems is the gold standard is skin care.