Basal cell carcinoma, the type of skin cancer for which first lady Jill Biden was treated on Wednesday, is the most prevalent and easily treatable form of skin cancer, according to specialists.
Mohs surgery, a standard method for this form of skin cancer, was used to remove lesions from above Biden’s right eye and the left portion of her chest, according to the White House. On her left eyelid, a third lesion was surgically removed and sent to a lab for analysis.
What Disease Did Jill Biden Experience?
Basal cell carcinoma is a frequent but often benign form of skin cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, the head and neck, which are frequently exposed to the sun’s UV rays, are frequently affected by cancer.
According to the Mayo Clinic, it originates in the basal cells, which are responsible for creating new skin cells as older cells die.
Dr. Abigail Waldman, head of the Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, remarked, It nearly never spreads within the body or causes other frightening complications.
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What Is Mohs Surgery?
The treatment used to remove basal cell carcinoma is called Mohs surgery, after the doctor who created it. In contrast to other cancer removal techniques, surgeons examine the tumor’s margins on the same day, allowing them to eliminate any further skin cancer cells, Waldman explained.
Waldman told USA TODAY, It enables clean margins and a high cure rate. Therefore, the recurrence incidence of these basal carcinomas following Mohs surgery is less than 1%.
Dr. William Dahut, the chief scientific officer of the American Cancer Society, stated that squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma are frequently grouped together in statistics.
The Mayo Clinic states that basal cell carcinoma typically presents as a tiny, raised pimple on the skin that is frequently pink or pearly white in color.
Waldman claimed that it frequently bleeds, scabs, and reemerges. If, after 6–8 weeks, the lesion still persists, basal cell carcinoma may be the cause.
It is frequently seen during skin cancer screenings, and a biopsy is performed for confirmation.
Despite the fact that basal cell carcinoma is quite curable, doctors advise having screenings performed at least twice a year because those who have it are more likely to later get skin cancer.
Doctors advise using sunscreen and wearing helmets because skin cancer typically manifests after years of exposure to the sun.
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