News

MOHS Surgery

Feb 25, 2021

A unique treatment designed to remove skin cancers from delicate and difficult areas is now available on the Gold Coast - exclusively at Pindara Private Hospital.

Mohs surgery is a combination of dermatology and pathology, where a specialist Dermatologist removes the skin cancer in stages, using a microscope to examine the tissue for cancer cells as they go. Layers of skin are removed and examined until there are no more cancer cells present.

Named after the surgeon who developed it, Frederic E. Mohs, the surgery has been described as a ‘game changer’ for skin cancer treatment as the complete removal of cancerous cells allows for the highest cure rate. The procedure also preserves as much healthy tissue as possible.

Queensland’s skin cancer rate is among the highest in the world, and accounts for around 80% of newly diagnosed cancers each year.

Dermatologist Dr Andrew Freeman from The Skin Centre at Pindara Private Hospital, said Mohs was an excellent treatment for skin cancer on delicate parts of the body.

“When we’re treating areas such as the lips, eyelids, fingers and ears, we need to take extra care to preserve the healthy tissue and minimise scaring, whilst still removing all the cancer,” Dr Freeman said.

“The roots of the skin cancer may extend beyond the visible portion of the tumour so if the roots are not removed, the cancer could recur.

“The reconstruction is as important as the removal of the cancer, especially on the face. The Mohs technique allows a precise removal of the cancer, which is important because every millimetre of tissue you lose on the face makes a difference,” he said.

Pindara Private Hospital Chief Executive Officer Mark Page said The Skin Centre was again leading the way with increasing the range and types of health care services Gold Coasters can access in their own community.

“Previously locals would have travelled to Brisbane or interstate for this treatment, so we are thrilled to offer this procedure in conjunction with Dr Freeman at Pindara Private Hospital,” Mr Page said.

“We enjoy such a wonderful outdoors lifestyle here on the Gold Coast and for locals who need treatment for skin cancer, it’s reassuring for them to know they can access a range of treatment options right here.”

The Mohs procedure is performed under local anaesthetic or sedation and specialists analyse the removed tissue while the patient waits. The steps are repeated until the cancer has been removed.

Patients get their results on the day, meaning they don’t have an anxious wait to discover if their cancer is gone.