What are the types of skin cancer?

The primary forms of skin cancer include the following:

• Basal cell carcinoma is a skin cancer that occurs in the basal cells, which are in the lower region of the epidermis.
• Squamous cell carcinoma begins in the squamous cells, the cells on the outer skin layer.
• Melanoma develops within the cells commonly known as melanocytes, which are responsible for the creation of melanin, a pigment that protects and colourizes the skin.

How do you reconstruct the skin after skin cancer?

There are various ways to treat skin cancer, depending on the type; however, the most common forms of treatment include:

• Cryotherapy uses liquid nitrogen to freeze and remove skin cancer cells.
• Excisional surgery is the resection of the tumour along with healthy adjacent tissue.
• Mohs surgery is the surgical removal of affected tissue while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible.
• Chemotherapy entails the use of potent drugs to terminate cancer cells.
• Immunotherapy is the use of the natural immune system to target and destroy cancer cells.
• Radiation therapy is the use of powerful, targeted radiation beams to target and destroy cancer cells.

There are various innovative ways to reconstruct the skin after the treatment of skin cancer, such as:

• Skin graft is a valuable technique made to rebuild the affected part of the skin by surgically removing skin from one donor area and repositioning it to the operative site.
• Local flap reconstruction is a specialised surgical technique that involves mobilising healthy nearby tissue and repositioning it to conceal the defect left from skin cancer treatment.

The choice of surgical techniques is not arbitrary, but rather a carefully considered decision that takes into account several factors. These include the location and size of the abnormality, as well as the patient’s current health status. This ensures that the chosen method is not only effective but also safe and suitable for the individual patient.

FAQ