The Manchester Centre for Plastic Surgery and Burns

Skin malignancy: melanoma, basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma

Cancer of the skin is the most rapidly increasing malignancy in the developed world.   Here at the Manchester Centre for Plastic Surgery and Burns we treat the three most common skin cancers – BCC, SCC and melanoma in our theatres every day.   The most effective treatment for any of these tumour is to excise the malignant cells with a good margin of healthy tissue around the cancer.    This often leave a hole in the skin which is too big to be stitched up in a straight line.   It is for this reason that Plastic Surgery is involved with the management of skin cancer; we have the skill set to mobilise tissue in the region of the defect, or from elsewhere in the body to reconstruct the wound, as either skin grafts, local or regional flaps or free tissue transfer if indicated.

Here at the Manchester Centre for Plastic Surgery and Burns we will perform primary excision of suspicious lesions referred to us.   We will also perform secondary ‘wide local excision’ at the site of lesions previously biopsied by us or our Dermatology or General practice colleagues which have proven to be malignant.

Our management of all cases of malignancy are overseen by our local, and specialist skin cancer MDT, on which sits all of our consultant with an interest in skin oncology.

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