Recent Articles

American Cancer Society expands testing recommendations for colorectal cancer screening

Harvard study links ultra-processed foods to higher rates of cognitive decline, dementia

A guide to the DASH diet

Calorie deficit explained: Is it a safe, sustainable approach to weight loss?

Prediabetes diet: How to help prevent progression to diabetes

COPD symptoms: How to spot them early

Routine cancer screenings for older adults: Mammograms, colonoscopies, PSA tests, and more

Many older adults get health information from self-defined experts online

Eating more soy and other legumes might ward off high blood pressure

How PMOS (once called PCOS) affects women after menopause

What is Mohs surgery?

An effective treatment for basal cell cancers.

Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing

cropped photo of the gloved hands of a surgeon using a scalpel to make an incision on the back of a person's hand, preparing to remove a basal cell cancer

Mohs micrographic surgery is often used to remove basal cell cancers. During Mohs surgery the tumor is shaved away in thin layers, one layer at a time. Each layer is checked immediately under a microscope.

This allows the surgeon to preserve as much healthy skin as possible while removing all of the cancer and a thin margin of healthy skin. This surgery is a highly effective treatment for basal cell cancer and often has very good cosmetic results.

Basal cell cancers form in the epidermis, the protective, outermost layer of our skin. The cancerous cells invade surrounding tissues, usually forming a painless pearly bump.

illustration showing how a basal cell carcinoma looks under the skin

Illustration by Michael Linkinhoker

Print This Page

Disclaimer:

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.

No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.