The treatment of skin cancer in the vast majority of cases leads to a complete victory over this disease. Most skin tumors, with the exception of melanoma, are slightly aggressive. They grow slowly and rarely spread metastasis. Should a small non-melanoma skin tumor be detected, it can be removed using laser. This type of surgery is less traumatic, safe and gives a good aesthetic result.
In what cases is it better to remove the tumor using laser?
Squamous and basal cell skin cancers can be treated in different ways. There are many techniques for the treatment of these diseases. In addition to the laser, the following types of therapy can be used:
- Surgical resection
- Electrocoagulation
- Radiation therapy
- Cryodestruction
- Photodynamic therapy
Laser techniques are preferred for stage 1-2 tumors, single or multiple ones, with a diameter of not more than 2 centimeters, which are located in hard-to-reach or aesthetically significant areas. The doctor can use the laser to remove both primary and recurrent skin cancer.
Principle of the method
To remove skin cancer, doctors can use either pulsed or continuous laser. The research shows that pulsed laser is more effective and gives a lower frequency of relapses.
The laser coagulates tissues. It directs the energy, which is accumulated by the cell. The fluid inside it heats up and instantly evaporates. As a result, tissue destruction occurs due to coagulation necrosis. At the same time, the adjacent skin areas are not damaged. The laser locally effects only directed areas.
Removal options:
- Destruction. It is the most commonly used method. The tumor is simply destroyed by the laser. It evaporates with the margin towards healthy skin.
- Dissection. A laser can be used instead of a scalpel for the performance of skin incisions. Moreover, this approach has a significant drawback, the wound cannot be stitched, since a scab forms on its surface, which prevents tissue adhesion. Therefore, the wound is made in an open manner, which leads to the formation of a large amount of granulation tissue and can worsen the aesthetic results of treatment. For these reasons, the laser can rarely be used for skin cancer dissection.
Advantages and disadvantages
The laser destruction of squamous skin cancer or basal cell carcinoma has the following benefits:
- Minimal risk of infectious complications. The laser destroys all bacteria in the wound, thereby making it sterile. Upon the procedure completion, a thick scab of necrotic tissue remains on the skin surface. It is dense and does not allow microorganisms to penetrate into the wound, thereby preventing infection. Therefore, inflammatory processes are possible only in case of improper care of the wound, when the patient wets the scab or removes it mechanically until the completion of regenerative processes.
- Absence of haemorrhages. When treating skin cancer with the laser, blood loss is minimal. The procedure involves the instant coagulation (sealing) of blood vessels. This is an additional benefit for the doctor, since he works in a dry surgical field. Blood would obstruct the vision. The doctor sees the wound better and can completely remove the tumor.
- Good aesthetic result. The laser removal of skin cancer stimulates the regenerative processes. The skin heals quickly, a soft scar forms. The laser provides high precision exposure to the directed skin areas. The adjacent tissues are not burnt. The scab formed after removal closes the wound, thereby ensuring the full course of reparative processes.
The laser has the following disadvantages:
- It can remove only small skin tumors up to 2 cm in diameter
- It is impossible to remove the neoplasm, if it is located close to the orbit, since laser pulses can have the negative effect on the retina
- The doctor cannot stitch the wound after laser removal, since the edges are poorly fused
- The use of the laser in patients with a tendency to formation of keloid scars is undesirable
Efficiency
With timely detection of symptoms of a malignant tumor, if it does not reach 2 cm in diameter, laser removal is very effective. It rarely gives relapses. Their frequency in primary tumor is 1.1-3.8%. In the case of a relapse, the neoplasm can be removed again. The risk of skin cancer recurrence is 4.8-5.6%.
Thus, with the help of a laser, most patients are successfully cured of cancer. German doctors have extensive experience with this treatment method. They remove the neoplasm, making a resection margin of 0.5-1 cm. The dissection of healthy skin can reduce the likelihood of cancer recurrence. The tumor is removed from the periphery to the center. A scab forms on the surface, which usually peels off after 20-25 days.
Treatment in Germany with the Booking Health company
You can go to Germany to undergo skin cancer treatment using laser surgery. The Booking Health company will arrange this trip for you. We provide the following services and benefits:
- Selection of the best Cancer and Laser Surgery Center for the treatment of skin cancer.
- Reduced costs for laser surgery services due to the lack of overpricing and coefficients for foreign patients. Your savings reach up to 50%.
- Booking an appointment on the most suitable dates for you.
- Preparation of the program, taking into account previously performed tests.
- Establishment of communication directly with the attending physician.
- Monitoring of the therapy program at all its stages.
- Control of invoices, return of unspent funds.
- Buying and forwarding of medicines.
- Organization of additional diagnostic or therapeutic procedures in German hospitals.
- Communication with the clinic upon the therapy course completion.
The Booking Health company will provide top-class services. We will book a hotel and airline tickets for you, meet you at the German airport, take you to the clinic and provide you with interpreting services. We will organize a return transfer upon the treatment program completion.
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