Skin Cancer is the most common cancer affecting Irish people.
Our two specialists surgically treat all types of skin cancer regularly. Plastic surgeons have particular expertise in closing the defects following excision of skin tumours.
A Basal Cell Carcinoma is also known as a BCC or a Rodent Ulcer.
This type will not spread to different parts of the body but depending on its type does need a small margin (in millimeters around it to be cut out to reduce the chances of it coming back.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma is also known as SCC
This can be a more serious condition and has the capacity (though not commonly) to spread in the body. Its likelihood of spreading is related to its size and speed of growth.
Malignant Melanoma
This is the most serious of the three main types and the likelihood of spread is related to how far it has penetrated into the skin when it is cut out.
We will see patients at short notice with possible Malignant Melanoma and if necessary perform a biopsy at the clinic or at the next available opportunity.
Treatment
Treatment for all the above is predominantly surgical. There are internationally agreed treatment protocols to which we adhere. We also offer sentinel lymph node biopsy in Malignant Melanoma if it is indicated. This is a technique that identifies and removes the lymph node or gland that is most closely linked to the tumour. This gland is then analysed to determine if the tumour has spread.