Tumor removal as a result of skin cancer is the top reconstructive procedure performed every year, with over 4.2 M in 2012 alone. Reconstructive surgery for skin cancer is used to rebuild areas which may have been damaged by the tumor and/or surgery to remove the tumor. When the skin cancer appears on the face or ears reconstructive surgery may be necessary. This also may apply to situations when the skin cancer tumor has been allowed to grow to a large size or has spread beyond the skin to adjacent facial structures.
Surgery is the most common treatment for newly discovered non-melanoma skin cancers. It allows the tumor to be removed and generally results in a cure (about 95% of all cases). Unlike other types of skin cancers, non-melanoma rarely spreads to regional lymph nodes or other sites of the body.