Skin Cancer

Your Winship care team draws on Emory's vast resources and expertise in dermatology, surgical oncology, medical oncology and others to provide the newest, most effective practices and treatments for skin cancer. We provide a coordinated, cohesive program with a dedicated treatment plan established for each patient.

As specialists, our teams develop groundbreaking surgeries and treatments that produce better outcomes and are adopted by other leading cancer centers. We treat patients with various forms of skin cancer including:

• squamous cell carcinoma
• basal cell carcinoma
• Merkel cell carcinoma
• dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans
• cutaneous lymphoma or lymphoma of the skin
• other rare cutaneous malignancies

Our team members are leaders in the treatment of melanoma, a more aggressive form of skin cancer.

The benefits of our multidisciplinary and highly experienced teams include:

• Access to doctors and surgeons who rank among the top cancer experts in the world.
• Access to the Pigmented Lesions Clinic for high risk cases.
• Weekly review of patient cases by the full team of experts.
• Coordinated scheduling for appointments among various specialties.
• Access to our program coordinator to assist you through out the treatment process.
• Access to support groups and social services for you and your caregivers.
• Availability of new treatment options within our clinical trials program.

Request an Appointment

If you have been diagnosed with skin cancer, we are ready to help you. Call us at (404) 778-0680 to request an appointment with a skin cancer specialist. Winship experts are available to provide a second opinion.

We understand that this is a very stressful time. We welcome your questions and requests for help. Learn what to expect on your first visit.

Refer a Patient

Referring providers, you or your staff may refer a patient by contacting us at (404) 778-0680 or email to winship.referrals@emoryhealthcare.org.

A suspicious lesion on the skin may prompt a doctor to perform the following surgical procedures to determine if the lesion is cancerous.

A skin biopsy is when a small sample of an abnormal lesion is examined under a microscope. Skin biopsies can be performed in various ways:

• Shave biopsy: the top layers of the skin are removed when the risk of melanoma is very low.
• Punch biopsy: a doctor uses a small cookie-cutter shaped tool to remove several layers of the skin.
• Excisional biopsy: the entire tumor is removed and examined by a pathologist.

Additional tests including imaging and scans may be used to determine whether the cancer has spread or metastasized.

The Emory Healthcare dermatology clinic offers a variety of screening and diagnostic tests.

Non-melanoma skin cancers such as basal and squamous cell carcinoma are common and usually very treatable. Other types of skin cancer such as Merkel cell carcinoma are aggressive and if spread beyond the skin can be difficult to treat.

Surgery is the first line of treatment if a skin cancer has not spread throughout the body. For some patients, removing the tumor will offer a cure. Surgical procedures include:

• Excision - cutting and removal of tumor from skin.
• Curettage and electrodesiccation - scraping of tumor along with use of an electric needle to destroy any remaining cancerous cells.
• Mohs surgery - a surgical technique that removes layers of skin until the tumor is removed. This procedure results in better outcomes and allows for more normal skin to be saved.
• Lymph node surgery - Certain skin cancers of the lower extremities may require removal of the local lymph nodes. Here at Winship, our doctors have pioneered a groin dissection technique for the removal of lymph nodes that improves recovery and lowers the risk of infection.

Patients with advanced disease may require additional surgery, radiation therapy or immunotherapy following surgery.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells. Your care team may use radiation by itself to treat certain types of skin cancers based on the size or location of the tumor, or to shrink tumors before surgery.

Immunotherapy is a type of biological therapy delivered through medication that stimulates or suppresses your body's immune system to fight cancer. This is a promising new treatment for patients with Merkel cell carcinoma and potentially other types of skin cancer, particularly if it has spread to other parts of the body.

Targeted therapies: With targeted therapies, your care team uses drugs that more selectively target cancer cells with fewer side effects. This personalized form of medicine identifies unique characteristics of tumors that make them vulnerable to known drugs so therapy can be tailored to an individual's cancer.

Chemotherapy may be used to treat advanced skin cancers that have spread to other organs. It is not often used during initial treatment because of the availability of immunotherapy and targeted therapy.

Clinical Trials

One of your best treatment options may be participation in a clinical trial. Our patients have access to some of the most advanced cancer treatments and clinical trials for skin cancer and other cutaneous malignancies offered anywhere. Our clinical researchers have helped pioneer new immunotherapies that have improved outcomes for many patients with various types of skin cancers including Merkel cell carcinoma.

Consider talking with your doctor about participating in a clinical trial at Winship.

Supportive Oncology Care

In addition to delivering the highest quality medical care, we recognize the importance of the psychological and emotional aspects of living with a cancer diagnosis and of dealing with treatment. Our supportive oncology team addresses these issues in a timely manner with additional support from our program coordinator and our team of counselors, dietitians and social service professionals.