The most effective skin cancer treatment available

When you’re looking for advanced skin cancer treatments, it’s important you find a provider who is a master in the science of skin.

Every year, hundreds of patients from across the metro trust Kansas City Skin & Cancer Center to handle their most critical skin health needs. Mohs Micrographic Surgery is one of the most highly specialized, effective cancer treatments available. In fact, it offers the highest cure rate available—even if the skin cancer has been previously treated. Mohs surgery is the gold-standard option for removing skin cancers & tumors in high-risk locations on the body where tissue sparing is critical.

Mohs surgery in Kansas City is a state-of-the-art treatment in which the physician serves as surgeon, pathologist, and reconstructive surgeon. The process allows the surgeon to trace, identify, and remove the entire tumor, leaving healthy tissue unharmed.

Mohs Overview

Treatment Type

Surgery

Preferred treatment when

Skin cancer develops on highly visible/delicate areas
Skin cancer has recurred after previous treatment or is likely to recur
Skin cancer is in scar tissue
Skin cancer covers a large area or has ill-defined edges
Skin cancer has grown rapidly

Treatment Areas

Eyes
Nose
Lips
Ears
Digits
Genitals

Duration

2-4 hours.

Downtime

1-2 weeks.

Mohs Surgery - How It Works

Dr. Mark Cohen uses a toothpick with marker on it to mark patient's cheek prior to a Mohs surgery. Patient is lying down on the medical exam table with eyes closed.

Examination and prep

The process will begin with a consultation. During this process, your provider will provide you with an overview of the exact nature of the procedure. They will identify and mark the target location, and review what to expect before, during, and after the procedure. After administering local anesthesia, the procedure will begin.

A male Kansas City Skin and Cancer Center provider performs a Mohs surgery on a paitent. Image is taken from the left side of the patient, so actual surgery is not visible as the doctor is workin on the right side of the face.

Visible cancer removal

Using a scalpel, the surgeon will remove the visible tumor with a small margin of normal-appearing skin. The area will be temporarily bandaged, and you will have the opportunity to relax while the lab work begins. Since lab work is so thorough, we invite patients to bring books, magazines, or other activities to help pass the time.

Lab analysis

The surgeon will divide the removed tissue into sections, color-code them with dye, and draw a map of the surgical site. In the lab, a technician will then freeze the divided tissue, and cut the frozen samples into thin, analyzable slices. The slices will be placed on microscope slides, stained, and covered. This process is incredibly thorough, and though it takes a while, it provides the highest cure rate.

A section of skin that was removed sits inside of a petri dish.

Additional layer removal

If there are cancer cells remaining, the surgeon will return and remove another layer of tissue from the target site. Over the course of the surgery, your surgeon will repeat steps 2-4 as many times as needed until there are no more cancer cells. This is what makes Mohs so effective and so precise. Though it may take time, Mohs surgery in Kansas City provides the highest cure rate and spares more healthy tissue compared to standard removal.

Mohs Surgery - How It Works

Examination and prep

Visible cancer removal

Lab analysis

Microscopic examination

Additional layer removal

Wound repair

Next Steps

Quality Care from Qualified Professionals

Our experienced medical & cosmetic staff combines decades of experience with a results-driven vision that achieves lasting results for our patients. The board-certified dermatologists that founded the Kansas City Skin & Cancer Center are trained physicians and received extensive training in dermatology. We can confidently say there’s no one more qualified to treat your skin.

So, if you’re looking for industry-leading care from unmatched experts, look no further than the Kansas City Skin & Cancer Center!

Meet Our Team

A Kansas City Skin and Cancer Center doctor holds an iPad up and points at something on screen to show to female patient seated beside him.

Mohs Surgery with Dr. Mark A. Cohen

Personalized skin care is just a click away

Start your skincare journey with our virtual consultation tool. It allows you to select your areas of concern and determine which treatments may best meet your needs.

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Mohs Surgery in Kansas City