The treatment of skin cancer varies based on the type, stage, and location of the cancer. Here is a detailed overview of the common treatments:

• Excisional Surgery: In this procedure, the surgeon removes the cancerous tumor along with some surrounding healthy tissue to ensure all cancer cells are eradicated. This method is often used for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma and is effective in preventing recurrence.
• Mohs Surgery: This precise surgical technique involves removing the cancerous tissue layer by layer, examining each layer under a microscope until no abnormal cells remain. Mohs surgery is particularly useful for skin cancers in cosmetically sensitive areas like the face, ears, and neck, as it spares as much healthy tissue as possible.

• Cryotherapy: It involves applying liquid nitrogen to the cancerous tissue and freezing the cells. The frozen cancer cells eventually die and slough off as the skin heals. This method is often used for small, early-stage skin cancers and precancerous lesions like actinic keratosis.
• Curettage and electrodesiccation: In this procedure, the dermatologist uses a curette, a sharp, spoon-shaped instrument, to scrape away the cancerous tissue. Following this, an electric needle (electrodesiccation) is used to destroy any remaining cancer cells and control bleeding. This technique is commonly used for small basal and squamous cell carcinomas.
• Radiation Therapy: It uses high-energy beams, such as X-rays, to target and kill cancer cells. It is typically used for skin cancers that are difficult to treat with surgery, such as those located in areas that are hard to operate on or in elderly patients who may not tolerate surgery well.
• Chemotherapy: It uses drugs to destroy cancer cells. It works by targeting cells that divide rapidly, a common characteristic of cancer cells.
  • Topical chemotherapy: This involves applying anti-cancer drugs directly to the skin in the form of a cream or lotion. It is commonly used for cancers confined to the top layer of the skin, such as superficial basal cell carcinoma.
  • Systemic chemotherapy: This treatment is used when skin cancer has spread to other parts of the body. The anti-cancer drugs are administered orally or intravenously, allowing them to travel through the bloodstream to reach cancer cells throughout the body.
• Immunotherapy: It involves the use of medications that help the body’s immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. It is particularly effective for advanced melanoma. Drugs such as checkpoint inhibitors (e.g., pembrolizumab, nivolumab) are commonly used to enhance the immune response against cancer cells.
• Photodynamic Therapy (PDT): In PDT, a photosensitizing agent is applied to the skin cancer and absorbed by the cancer cells. After an appropriate absorption period, the area is exposed to a specific wavelength of light, activating the drug and destroying the cancer cells. PDT is effective for treating superficial skin cancers and precancerous lesions.
• Targeted Therapy: It involves drugs that specifically target genetic mutations or abnormalities within cancer cells. For example, drugs like vemurafenib and dabrafenib target the BRAF mutation commonly found in melanoma cells. This treatment is used primarily for advanced melanoma that has specific genetic alterations.

Each treatment plan is tailored to the patient’s specific condition, taking into account the type, stage, and location of the cancer, as well as the patient’s overall health and preferences. Often, a combination of treatments may be employed to ensure the best possible outcome.