Mohs Surgery

Mohs surgery is a specialized technique to remove skin cancer that was first performed by Dr. Frederic Mohs at the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1938. The surgery became popular in the 1990s, when it became clear that the cure rate after removal of skin cancers using the Mohs technique exceeded the cure rate of standard excision surgery. The essence of Mohs surgery is not with the surgery done, but rather how the tissue removed during surgery is handled by the pathologist. In Mohs surgery, a specialized technique called complete circumferential peripheral and deep margin assessment (CCPDMA) is performed to analyze the tissue to decide if the cancer has been completely removed or not. This is a far superior technique for deciding if a cancer has been completely removed. While the majority of skin cancers do not require Mohs surgery, it has been clearly established that large or poorly defined skin cancer lesions on the face or smaller cancers on the eyelids, nose, or ears are clearly indicated for MOHS surgery. Dr. Revis refers all patients needing Mohs surgery to the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where a robust clinic with three Mohs surgeons remove hundreds of skin cancers each year. When choosing a Mohs surgeon, it is important to choose a surgeon who is fellowship trained and a member of the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS).