Lahey Cancer Institute
Clinical experts of Lahey Cancer Institute offer research, training and education in addition to personalized patient care using advanced treatments at locations convenient to you.
Skin Cancer Care
Treatment for melanoma and other cancers of the skin
Dermatology for Skin Cancer
At Lahey Clinic, our dermatology team specializes in diagnosing and treating high-risk and other skin cancers. The study of skin cancer is called cutaneous oncology.
Our experts have vast experience providing care for common skin cancers as well as specialized care and dermatologic surgery for complex cases.
Prompt Care from Expert Dermatologists
Lahey surgeons are highly skilled at removing cancers and lesions from the face and other cosmetically sensitive areas. Our focus is on curing your cancer with minimizing scarring.
Our board-certified physicians are fellowship trained in dermatologic surgery. They also have specialized training in reading frozen tissue samples.
Types of Skin Cancer
Our dermatology experts treat all types of skin cancer:
- Actinic keratosis: A common, rough, scaly patch on sun-damaged skin that’s considered precancerous before developing into squamous cell carcinoma
- Adnexal carcinoma: A rare sweat gland cancer also called microcystic adnexal carcinoma
- Atypical fibroxanthoma: A single tumor or lump often found on sun-damaged skin
- Basal cell carcinoma: The most common type of skin cancer, which begins in the skin’s basal cells (outer epidermis)
- High-risk squamous cell carcinoma: The second most common skin cancer, which develops from squamous cells in the skin’s outer layer (epidermis) due to DNA damage (often UV exposure) and has a high risk of spreading or recurring
- Melanoma: Cancer that develops in the skin cells (melanocytes) that give our skin color
- Merkel cell carcinoma: An aggressive type of neuroendocrine cancer that involves the Merkel cells
- Sebaceous carcinoma: Cancer that starts in an oil gland, commonly in the eyelid
More About Skin Cancer Care
Diagnosing Skin Cancer
Your primary care provider plays an important role in early screenings for skin cancer. Be sure to show them any suspicious changes to the skin anywhere on your body. If you see a dermatologist on a regular basis, they may perform a skin cancer screening at each visit.
It’s important to check your own skin regularly and report any changes without delay. Your doctor may take a biopsy, or tissue sample, from any suspicious areas for close examination under a microscope.
Coordinated Skin Cancer Treatments
We quickly treat suspicious lesions found during skin cancer screenings. After diagnosis, you may have a same-day biopsy and receive same-day treatment of precancerous lesions.
Our surgeons can perform almost any surgery necessary to treat most skin cancers. However, our team also treats cancer with non-surgical alternatives — such as creams — when appropriate.
At Lahey, you have access to all the specialists you need. If necessary, we coordinate your treatments with:
- Plastic surgeons
- Oculoplastic surgeons
- Oncologists
- Head and neck surgeons
- Medical oncologists
- Radiation oncologists
Tumor Board
Our skin cancer tumor board gathers experts from different specialty areas to discuss challenging cases. This coordinated effort ensures you have the fastest path to the right treatment.
Mohs Micrographic Surgery
At Lahey, we specialize in Mohs micrographic surgery, a precise surgical treatment for skin cancer and skin tumors. The Mohs method works to ensure the entire tumor is removed. In fact, it has a 99% cure rate.
Specialized Melanoma Care
At Lahey, you can count on world-class care and resources for skin cancer. If you have invasive or non-invasive melanoma, our skin cancer care team will develop a personalized treatment plan for you. Your care plan will include steps to:
- Remove the disease.
- Biopsy (take a tissue sample from) the sentinel lymph node.
- Restore function and your appearance using advanced surgical techniques.
When needed, we provide the latest post-surgical immunotherapy care. At Lahey, you also have access to a variety of cancer clinical trials that allow for a spectrum of treatment options. As part of our commitment to melanoma research, our team joins national clinical trials designed to more fully understand the mutations (changes in DNA) that cause melanoma.
Cancer Programs
Our oncology teams have a high level of expertise to treat common and rare cancers using the latest cancer research, as well as advanced diagnostic and treatment techniques.
