The stage of your cancer depends on how deep the melanoma has spread into the layers of your skin. Stage one is typically treated with surgical removal, but if it has spread deeper than surface-levelit means you’re in a more advanced stage and may require more treatment.
Fortunately, stage one is very treatable and has very favorable metrics in terms of cure rate. Your doctor will be able to decipher if you’re eligible for removal upon assessment of the depth of your cancer. If your melanoma is less than 0.8 mm in depth, your dermatologist may do an in-office excision.
Read MoreIs Surgery Covered by Insurance?
You may be worried that insurance will not cover skin cancer surgery, particularly when it’s at an early stage, because it may be deemed a cosmetic procedure. However, most skin cancer surgeries are covered."Most surgery is covered by most insurance," Dr. Jesse Lewin, System Chief of the Division of Dermatologic & Cosmetic Surgery at Mount Sinai, tells SurvivorNet. "…Even though the reconstruction is done in a cosmetically-sensitive way, it's not a cosmetic procedure.
"[Patients] are not billed for a cosmetic procedure after the skin cancer is removed. One of the main advantages is you can see one surgeon who is trained in removing the cancer, looking under the microscope, and doing the reconstruction. So, you're in one place … [and] awake for an outpatient procedure to cure your skin cancer."
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