There are six widely used methods to treat skin cancer. Which method is chosen depends on the type of lesion , its size and location, the definition of its borders, how invasive it is, how long it has been present and whether more than one lesion is involved. The person's age and overall health are also considered, as is the potential effect of treatment on appearance.
    All treatment methods have a cure rate of about 90 percent or more. Tumors that have less than a 90 percent cure rate include sclerosing or morpheaform basal cell cancers, poorly differentiated squamous cell cancers, lesions around the eye, ear, nose and the forehead-temple region, tumors larger than 3/4 in. (2 cm), older lesions and recurrent cancers.
    Basal cell and squamous cell cancers are treated using similar procedures. A larger amount of apparently normal tissue may have to be removed when cutting out a SCC, since there is a higher rate of metastasis than with BCC.

Standard Treatments
Curettage with or without Electrodesiccation (C&E)  This is a two-step procedure in which a curet (sharp-tipped instrument) removes the softer cancer tissue from normal tissue and bleeding is controlled by a chemical agent or by electrical current. This cycle is repeated two to four times. Nodular and superficial BCC and non-invasive SCC can usually be treated effectively with C&E.