1. Mohs Surgery Stands the Test of Time
By Dr. Sally Booth

2. Mohs Micrographic Surgery
• Although treatments for skin cancer continue to evolve, a
surgical technique developed in the 1930s has shown itself to
be the most effective procedure for removing squamous cell
carcinomas and basal cell carcinomas, the two most common
skin cancers.
• This surgical technique, which was developed by Dr. Frederic
Mohs, is referred to as Mohs micrographic surgery.

3. The Mohs Surgeon at Work
• A Mohs surgeon examines all excised tissue during the
surgery, in contrast to other techniques that analyze the tissue
after surgery.
• As the surgeon removes one thin tissue at a time, the surgeon
studies its margins under a microscope to determine whether
cancer cells are present.
• When the tissue’s margins are cancer-free, the physician
terminates the surgery.

4. The Mohs Procedure Benefits
The Mohs procedure eliminates the guesswork in skin cancer
removal.
Because it excises the cancer cells while sparing the greatest
amount of healthy tissue, it results in the best medical and
cosmetic outcomes.
In fact, cure rates for patients undergoing Mohs surgery are 98
percent or higher.

5. Advances in Mohs Surgery
• Traditionally, Mohs surgery has not been an option for
patients with melanoma skin cancers.
• However, there have been advances in the development of
new stains that allow surgeons to identify melanoma cells
under a microscope.
• Because Mohs micrographic surgery holds promise for
certain types of melanoma, the procedure may become a more
viable treatment option in the future.

6. About the Author
• Second-generation dermatologist Sally Booth, MD, offers
general, surgical, and cosmetic services to patients in and
around Indianapolis, Indiana.
• The American Society for Mohs Surgery recognized her
research with a Young Investigator Award.

7. Thank You For Reading
Thank you so much for taking the time to learn
more about Mohs Surgery By Dr. Sally Booth
... The End