Why does melanoma cause wide excision?
The purpose of melanoma wide local excision (WLE) is to obtain local control by removing the primary tumor as well as the local at-risk subcutaneous lymphatics. The margin is measured circumferentially at the level of the skin from either residual gross tumor and/or the previous biopsy scar.
What is wide local excision for skin cancer?
In wide-local excision, the skin cancer and a small margin of healthy tissue around it is cut out, usually in a football-shaped ellipse. Once the tissue has been removed, the edges of the wound are sutured together. The tissue then is sent for processing and margin evaluation by a pathologist.
What happens after a wide local excision?
After a wide excision procedure, you’re likely to feel some tightness while your skin heals. You also may feel tenderness in the area. If you have stitches, they may need to be removed at your doctor’s office. Your doctor may request a follow-up appointment within four to six weeks to see how the wound is healing.
What is wide local excision for melanoma?
Wide local excision is a procedure that removes a rim of normal tissues around the lesion. This is called the margin. The size of the margin depends on the Breslow thickness of the melanoma and sometimes the location on the body.
Can melanoma be removed by surgery?
Wide excision When melanoma is diagnosed by skin biopsy, more surgery will probably be needed to help make sure the cancer has been removed (excised) completely. This fairly minor operation will cure most thin melanomas. Local anesthesia is injected into the area to numb it before the excision.
What is excision for skin cancer?
Excision simply means “to cut out.” Surgical excision can be used to treat melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. Excision is also called “wide excision.” This is because the tumor is cut out together with some of the healthy skin around it. The healthy skin is called a margin.
What are the treatment options for melanoma?
Surgery with wide local excision is the main treatment for early melanomas, and may be used as part of the treatment approach for advanced melanomas. Depending on the depth of the melanoma (or Breslow thickness), the margin of normal tissue surrounding the abnormal lesion varies.