Attending to Basal Cell Skin Cancer in Memphis
George Woodbury MD 2/17/2023
Stay healthy and cancer-free by attending to your moles and spots. Rheumatology and Dermatology Associates, P.C. specializes in diagnosing and treating the most common types of skin cancer: Melanoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC), and Basal Cell Skin Cancer in Memphis. Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer nationwide, affecting over two million Americans.
The Causes of Skin Cancer
Exposure to natural or artificial Ultraviolet Light may cause Basal Cell Carcinoma or other types of skin cancer. Certain groups of people are at higher risk for carcinoma, including those with fair, freckled skin and redheads or blondes. Others who work or play outdoors, like construction workers and golfers, are also vulnerable. However, anyone can develop skin cancer, so scheduling a screening at least once a year is essential, especially for high-risk groups.
.jpg)
.jpg)
Patient Screening
Early detection is crucial, so our physicians diagnose BCC by conducting a thorough skin cancer screening. We inspect the sun-exposed areas of the skin, like the face, neck, scalp, back, and chest. Nevertheless, skin cancer can develop in sun-protected areas, too. If we identify a suspicious lesion or spot, we remove it and send it to the Dermatopathology Laboratory for biopsy analysis. After a week or two, our physicians discuss the results with their patients.
Identifying Suspicious Lesions
%2006072020.jpg)
%20cropped%2003312019.jpg)
Basal Cell Skin Cancer—These translucent lesions tend to scab or bleed, growing over weeks or months. These lesions can also appear shiny, red, or pink.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma—This is the second most common type of skin cancer, and its lesion is scabbed or crusted.
Melanoma—For the third most common type of skin cancer, spots appear brown, black, or gray.
For more information about Basal Cell Skin Cancer and other types of lesions, check out the following short movie on YouTube that Memphis Dermatology sponsored in 2018 titled “Understanding the Melanoma Crisis: Scarlet’s Story.”
Treating BCC
Patients diagnosed with Basal Cell Carcinoma go through a clinical suspicion or a biopsy through dermatologic surgery. This procedure is done under local anesthesia to remove and examine the lesion for cancer cells. We use an eighth-of-an-inch margin for a free margin on skin cancer. Whenever a dermatologist removes a lesion, there is a chance that the margins of the specimen sent to the lab may contain skin cancer cells. We may require an additional procedure to clear the margins from cancerous tissue in these cases.
.jpg)
Patients diagnosed with Basal Cell Carcinoma go through a clinical suspicion or a biopsy through dermatologic surgery. This procedure is done under local anesthesia to remove and examine the lesion for cancer cells. We use an eighth-of-an-inch margin for a free margin on skin cancer. Whenever a dermatologist removes a lesion, there is a chance that the margins of the specimen sent to the lab may contain skin cancer cells. We may require an additional procedure to clear the margins from cancerous tissue in these cases.
Skin Cancer Surgery
Our physicians strive to make skin cancer surgery as tolerable as possible, with over 90% of cases performed in the office as an outpatient procedure. This procedure often takes 15 minutes to two hours, depending on the case. Before patients go home, our surgeons write prescriptions for pain medication if they feel sore once the anesthesia wears off. Soreness or itchiness can last days, weeks, or months after the procedure, which means the area is healing.
Skin cancer surgery may also cause infections or scarring. Infections are possible complications that are controlled with prescribed antibiotics. There is also a chance of getting a raised or Keloid scar, which monthly steroid injections can manage. Nevertheless, our doctors will try to make the scar as small as possible when suturing the skin.
Other Cancer Treatments
While surgery is the most common treatment for Basal Cell Carcinoma and other cancers, it may not be the best option for everyone. There are alternative treatments like radiation therapy or 5-fluorouracil cream, but these don’t have surgery’s high percentage cure rate. Select cases may also be treated with desiccation and curettage, where our dermatologic surgeon scrapes off cancer spots and cauterizes the area. These treatments are available for now, but dermatologists keep researching other approaches that can continue saving lives.
Our Skincare Options
Dr. George Woodbury, Jr. is the president of Big River Silk™ Skincare, a company that distributes an organic, broad-spectrum sunscreen called Vanicream Sunscreen Sport SPF 50. This company also manufactures and distributes antiwrinkle creams (GlycoShea™ Cream and GlycoShea Lotion), an acne wash (AmberSoy Soap Gel), and a leading cream moisturizer (HypoShea Moisturizer Cream and HypoShea Oil).
Scheduling an Appointment
Don’t wait to see a dermatologist and attend to your skin regularly. Contact our office today if you have a suspicious lesion or belong to a high-risk group. We specialize in skin cancer screening and have treated many patients since 1993. For patients outside Memphis, consider looking for a specialist with the American Academy of Dermatology.
George Woodbury, Jr., M.D. 2/17/2023
Rheumatology and Dermatology Associates
Big River Silk Skincare Inc.
8143 Walnut Grove Road
Cordova TN 38018
1-901-753-0168
02/17/2023