How is Mohs surgery different from other types of surgery?
The difference is what happens to the tissue after it is removed. After complete removal of the obvious tumor, the surgeon removes a thin layer of normal appearing skin surrounding the tumor. A map is made of the specimen. It is then processed in the laboratory for approximately one hour. The surgeon then examines the specimen under the microscope. If cancer is present in the specimen, the Mohs surgeon marks its location on the map and then returns to the patient and removes more tissue in that area. This step is repeated, if necessary, until the tumor is completely removed.
