Fortunately, most basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas can often be completely cured by fairly minor surgery and sometimes by applying medicines to the skin surface. There are many different kinds of surgery for these cancers. The type of treatment chosen depends on how large the cancer is, where it is found on the body, and the specific type of skin cancer. For certain squamous cell cancers with a high risk of spreading, surgery may sometimes be followed by radiation or chemotherapy.

Simple excision

This is similar to an excisional biopsy, although in this case the diagnosis is already known. For this procedure, the skin is first numbed with a local anesthetic. The tumor is then cut out with a surgical knife, along with some surrounding normal skin. The remaining skin is carefully stitched back together, leaving a small scar.

Curettage and electrodesiccation

This treatment removes the cancer by scraping it with a curette (a long, thin instrument with a scraping edge on one end), then treating the area where the tumor was located with an electric needle (electrode) to destroy any remaining cancer cells. This process is often repeated. Curettage and electrodesiccation is a good treatment for small basal cell and squamous cell cancers. It will leave a scar.

Mohs surgery (microscopically-controlled surgery)

Using the Mohs technique, the surgeon removes a thin layer of the skin that the tumor may have invaded and then checks the sample under a microscope. If cancer cells are seen, deeper layers are removed and examined until the skin samples are found to be free of cancer cells. This process is slow, but it means that more normal skin near the tumor can be saved. This creates a better appearance after surgery. This is a highly specialized technique that should be used only by doctors who have been trained in this specific type of surgery.

Lymph node surgery

If lymph nodes near a non-melanoma skin cancer (especially a squamous cell or Merkel cell carcinoma) are growing larger, doctors will be concerned that the cancer may have spread to these lymph nodes. The nodes may be biopsied (see the section, "How are basal and squamous cell skin cancers diagnosed?") or removed by an operation called a lymph node dissection and looked at under a microscope for signs of cancer. This operation is more involved than surgery on the skin, and usually requires general anesthesia (where you are asleep).

Lymphedema, a complication where excess fluid collects in the legs or arms, is a possible long-term side effect of a lymph node dissection. Lymph nodes in the groin or under the arm normally help drain fluid from the legs and arms. If the lymph nodes are removed, fluid may build up, leading to swelling in these limbs. Elastic stockings or compression sleeves can help some people with this condition. For more information, see the separate American Cancer Society document, Understanding Lymphedema (For Cancers Other Than Breast Cancer).

Skin grafting and reconstructive surgery

After removing large non-melanoma skin cancers, it may not be possible to stretch the nearby skin enough to sew the edges of the wound together. In these cases, skin grafts or other reconstructive surgical procedures can help the wound heal and replace tissue, restoring the appearance of the affected area.