How deep is a wide local excision for melanoma?

Surgery (wide local excision) The recommended margin is usually between 5 mm and 10 mm, depending on the type, thickness and site of the melanoma. For thicker tumours, a wider margin of up to 20 mm may be advised.

Does wide local excision cure melanoma?

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.

How long is surgery to remove melanoma?

A larger excision, or one on the hand or face, may need a skin graft to close the wound. A skin graft is a very thin sheet of healthy skin taken from another part of the body to replace the skin that was removed. The surgery usually takes up to an hour.

How big is a melanoma excision?

Wide local excision is the current standard of care for localized cutaneous melanoma. This wide excision contrasts to a narrow excision (1–2 mm) used to biopsy a lesion clinically suspicious for melanoma.

Does a wide excision hurt?

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.

Does it hurt to have a melanoma removed?

Wound pain – Most people will have some pain after the operation, which usually improves as the wound heals. For some people, the pain may be ongoing, especially if lymph nodes were removed from the neck.

How long does it take to recover from a wide local excision?

Most wounds take 1 to 3 weeks to heal. If a large area of skin was removed, you may have a skin graft. In that case, healing may take longer. Some soreness around the site of the wound is normal.

Can melanoma spread after removed?

After you finish treatment, your dermatologist (or oncologist) will still want to see you regularly. Melanoma can return or spread after treatment. If this happens, it’s most likely to occur within the first 5 years.

Do you get put under for melanoma surgery?

Procedure: Wide-Excision of Melanoma is usually performed under a general anesthesia, so you will not feel anything. The procedure itself is performed through an incision made over the location of the melanoma after local anesthesia (numbing medicine) has been injected in the area.

What happens after melanoma is removed?

When cancer cells are found in the removed lymph node, the stage of the cancer changes. This is called restaging. Because cancer is found deeper than the skin, more surgery may be needed. Also, another treatment that can kill the cancer cells may be added to your treatment plan.

How deep do they cut to remove melanoma?

These studies have led to the current widely accepted standard treatment guidelines supported by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, which recommend 1-cm margins for thin melanoma (<1-mm thick), 1- to 2-cm margins for 1- to 2-mm melanomas, and 2-cm margins for intermediate-thickness melanomas (2-4 mm).

What to do after having a melanoma removed?

Wash the area daily with warm, soapy water, and pat it dry. Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol. They can slow healing. You may shower 24 to 48 hours after surgery.