How effective is Mohs surgery for basal cell carcinoma?

Basal cell carcinoma is a skin cancer that can grow into nearby tissue. In Mohs surgery, the surgeon removes the visible tumour with a small amount of surrounding tissue, maps the specimen and examines its edges while you remain at the clinic. If cancer cells remain at a margin, another precisely mapped layer can be removed. This tissue-sparing approach can be useful on the face, near important structures, in a recurrent tumour or when the edges are difficult to define.

Ask the surgeon why Mohs is recommended for your tumour and how the wound will be closed. Tell the team about medicines, allergies and bleeding problems. Afterward, keep the dressing in place as instructed, limit strenuous activity when advised and attend wound checks. Healing may involve bruising, swelling, a scar or temporary altered sensation. Regular skin examinations remain important because a treated cancer and new skin cancers require ongoing attention.

Call promptly for bleeding that does not stop with firm pressure, increasing pain, spreading redness, pus, wound separation or fever. Seek urgent help for heavy bleeding, faintness or breathing difficulty. A new or changing spot near the scar should be examined rather than assumed to be part of normal healing.

Ask about the tumour's size, location, border and recurrence history; why margin checking matters; the likely repair method; scar care; and the schedule for follow-up skin checks.