Mohs Surgery vs. Radiation Therapy
Superficial radiation therapy vs. Mohs Micrographic Surgery
A skin cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming on its own. While managing the emotional reaction to such a diagnosis, patients must simultaneously determine which treatment method best suits their needs and preferences.
Dermatologists have long had numerous treatment options at their fingertips. Two that are in somewhat opposing corners at the moment are superficial radiation therapy (SRT) and Mohs Micrographic Surgery. Here, we compare them.
Both radiation therapy and Mohs surgery were developed long ago. In fact, SRT came first. The idea that Mohs is antiquated and that SRT is a kind of “new and improved” method of treating nonmelanoma skin cancers is misleading. Evidence shows that when Mohs became a standardized form of treatment in the mid-20th Century, more doctors and patients preferred this treatment method, and SRT somewhat fell by the wayside. Now, it’s experiencing a resurgence due to a massive advertisement campaign by manufacturers of SRT machines.
The emergence of new SRT devices creates options as well as potential confusion. Before patients are presented with this as a “Mohs alternative,” it is vital that the medical community do our due diligence in fully vetting SRT as a viable treatment option. We can do that by observing statistics such as recurrence rates after treatment.
Recurrence
Based on multiple research articles, Mohs remains the highest skin cancer treatment standard available. The recurrence rate for all nonmelanoma skin cancers was approximately 5% after SRT. Recurrence rates for primary tumors, both basal and squamous cell carcinomas, are less than 1% with Mohs Micrographic Surgery.
Number of Visits
Whereas Mohs requires one to two visits, SRT requires 15 to 20 treatments over several weeks.
Side Effects and Aesthetics
Virtually no treatment is without side effects. Mohs surgery may result in transient swelling and redness and may also require reconstructive surgery. SRT is also not without potential side effects that doctors must be able to anticipate and educate patients about. SRT caused hypopigmentation in 72% of patients, broken blood vessels in 51%, redness in nearly 45%, and hyperpigmentation in approximately 23% of patients. Slightly more than 6% of patients developed skin ulceration over two months after SRT. Furthermore, studies have found that 94 percent of Mohs patients are satisfied or very satisfied with the cosmetic outcome of their procedure, whereas satisfaction with the outcome of SRT is much lower.
You can see detailed comparisons of the two procedures below, together with a bibliography of the research articles behind the data:
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With offices in Cornwall, Fishkill, Hudson, Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Somers, and Tarrytown, Hudson Dermatology offers the highest quality of care centered around medical dermatology, cosmetic dermatology, and pediatric skincare. Patients in New York’s Hudson Valley area can depend on the professional team at Hudson Dermatology to satisfy all their medical and cosmetic skincare needs.
FULL-SERVICEDERMATOLOGY
With offices in Cornwall, Fishkill, Hudson, Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Somers, and Tarrytown, Hudson Dermatology offers the highest quality of care centered around medical dermatology, cosmetic dermatology, and pediatric skincare. Patients in New York’s Hudson Valley area can depend on the professional team at Hudson Dermatology to satisfy all their medical and cosmetic skincare needs.
