HALIFAX — A skin cancer surgery that Nova Scotia’s top public health official recently had to travel to receive is now approved for the province, and a dermatologist is planning a Halifax site for the procedure.
Dr. Michael Stevens says introducing Mohs surgery — where thin layers of cancer-containing skin are progressively removed — will help avoid more serious procedures for some patients.
The “micrographic” procedure removes tumours little by little, with dermatologists examining the tissue as it is removed until testing indicates the absence of cancer.
Stevens has spent years lobbying the Nova Scotia Health Authority to provide a billing number for the procedure, and says he’s pleased it agreed to move forward earlier this year.
He says it is the standard of care in most other parts of Canada, including in New Brunswick, and his practice is planning on providing the surgery later this fall once equipment and space is prepared.
A spokeswoman for the Health Department confirmed that Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, recently travelled to New Brunswick for the treatment.
Strang was absent from pandemic briefings during the mandatory 14-day isolation period that followed.
Carla Adams, a spokeswoman for the Nova Scotia Health Authority, said in an email the method offers a high cure rate, can reduce the loss of healthy tissues, and is particularly important in areas where it’s important to remove as little tissue as possible, including the eyelids, nose, ears, fingers and toes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2020.
The Canadian Press
