"Mohs surgery has the highest surgical cure rate for both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma," reports Jonathan Sanders, MD, JD. "For basal cell carcinoma, the technique produces approximately a ninety-nine percent cure rate, with just a slightly lower cure rate for squamous cell carcinoma."

The Mohs procedure is named for Dr. Frederick Mohs, who developed the surgery in the 1930s at the University of Wisconsin. The Mohs procedure involves removing successive layers of tissue and immediately examining them with a microscope, so that all of the roots and extensions of the cancerous lesion can be eliminated.

Dermatologists that perform Mohs surgery must have specialized skills in dermatology and dermatologic surgery. Training for Mohs surgery is available through select residency programs, specialized fellowships, and intensive training courses. Drs. Ioannides and Sanders are both members of the American Society for Mohs Surgery.

The entire procedure can take several hours to complete, but actual surgical time may be measured in just minutes. Most of the time is spent in careful preparation and scrutiny of the excised tissue.