Treatment for Other Types of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers

Sebaceous carcinoma: Sebaceous carcinoma is treated primarily with surgery to remove the growth along with a wide margin of surrounding tissue. Radiation therapy has been used in a few cases, but since the condition is rare, there is not a great deal of research on this approach. Mohs surgery has also been used to treat this condition with good success. Recurrence of sebaceous carcinoma is not common when the first occurrence is adequately treated.

Merkel cell carcinoma: The choice of treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma depends on the stage and location of the cancer, but treatment for this type of cancer usually involves surgery. The tumor is surgically removed and examined to ensure that no cancer cells have been left behind. The surgeon typically removes a large area around the tumor to achieve this goal. Mohs surgery may be used if the tumor is in an area where this would be difficult (e.g., the face or neck). Surgery is followed by a course of radiation therapy to prevent recurrence. However, this type of cancer has a high recurrence rate; as many as 40 percent of patients have a second bout of the disease after it has been treated.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is treated with wide local excision, with removal of up to 1½ to 2 inches of surrounding tissue. Because the cells that make up this type of cancer can be difficult to distinguish from healthy skin cells under a microscope, it has a high rate of recurrence. As many as 60 percent of cases recur after treatment, the great majority within 3 years. Mohs surgery is being used more often to treat this cancer and allows a greater degree of accuracy in pinpointing the margins of the removed tissue. Scientists are studying whether this approach reduces the likelihood of recurrence.

Cutaneous angiosarcoma: Like DFSP, the nature of the cancer cells makes it difficult to distinguish the edges of the abnormal tissue that has been removed during biopsy. For this reason, very wide margins of up to 2 inches in diameter are typically taken during surgery. Skin grafts are often required after surgery because of the large area of skin that must be removed. Mohs surgery is being increasingly used to treat cutaneous angiosarcoma and is often followed by radiation therapy. Because this cancer tends to be highly aggressive, the entire scalp may be irradiated to kill cancer cells not found during surgery. This form of cancer has a high rate of recurrence and often metastasizes (spreads) to nearby lymph nodes and the lungs.

This content has been reviewed and approved by Myo Thant, MD.