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A new spot, a biopsy result, or the words "skin cancer" can leave you with more questions than answers. You may be trying to understand what type you have, whether it has spread, and who handles which part of care.
This page walks through how skin cancer is usually treated and when oncology becomes part of the plan. It also explains what our Brooksville team can do for patients across Hernando County.
Treatment depends on the kind of skin cancer in your biopsy report. The four common types covered here behave differently and may need different specialists.
•Basal cell carcinoma (BCC): The most common type. It grows slowly and rarely spreads, but it can keep growing into nearby tissue if left alone.
•Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC): Usually treatable when found early. Advanced cases can grow deeper and reach lymph nodes or other organs.
•Melanoma: Less common but more serious. It can spread to lymph nodes and other parts of the body, so staging and follow-up matter.
•Merkel cell carcinoma: Rare and aggressive. It often needs a coordinated team and may involve radiation or systemic medicine.
Your pathology report will name the type, and that name shapes everything that comes next. Knowing your skin cancer risk factors and prevention is also useful, even after a diagnosis. If you are unsure what your report says, bring it to your appointment so we can read it with you.
Most early skin cancers are removed by a dermatologist or a dermatologic surgeon. ACTC does not perform skin biopsies, excisions, or Mohs surgery. Those steps happen outside our practice, and we coordinate oncology care around them when needed.
Common first-line options handled outside ACTC include:
•Surgical excision: The growth is cut out with a small margin of healthy skin. This is a common choice for many BCC and SCC cases.
•Mohs micrographic surgery: Thin layers of tissue are removed and checked under a microscope until edges look clear. It is often chosen for cancers on the face, ears, or hands.
•Curettage and electrodesiccation: The growth is scraped away and the area is treated with electric current.
•Cryosurgery: Liquid nitrogen freezes and destroys abnormal cells. It is typically used for very early or precancerous spots.
•Topical chemotherapy: Prescription creams such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or imiquimod can treat selected superficial basal cell cancers and precancers.
If your dermatologist recommends one of these, you may not need oncology care at all. Many early cases never reach our office, and that is a good outcome. Knowing how UV radiation causes skin cancer can help you protect your skin going forward.
Some skin cancers need more than local removal. Our role starts when your care team needs radiation, systemic medicine, or a coordinated plan after surgery.
You may be referred to us if your case involves any of the following:
•Advanced or recurrent cancer: A skin cancer that has come back, grown deep, or spread to lymph nodes often needs added treatment.
•Surgery is not a good option: Some patients cannot have surgery because of size, location, or overall health.
•Stage III or stage IV melanoma: Higher-stage melanoma often involves systemic medicine after surgery.
•High-risk squamous cell carcinoma: Tumors that are large, deep, or near nerves may need radiation or medication.
Where we fit depends on your diagnosis, stage, and pathology report. We will explain what each treatment can and cannot do for your specific case.
Our radiation oncology and medical oncology teams treat skin cancer patients on-site at 15211 Cortez Boulevard. Care is shaped around your stage, test results, and overall health.
Radiation uses focused energy beams to destroy cancer cells in a defined area. We deliver radiation in our treatment vault using the Varian VitalBeam system. Treatments are planned with our GE LightSpeed computed tomography (CT) scanner.
Radiation therapy may be offered if surgery is not a good fit, or if cancer remains after surgery. It is also used when nearby lymph nodes are involved. Most sessions are short and outpatient, and your team will walk through what to expect.
Immunotherapy helps your own immune system find and attack cancer cells. It is an option for advanced melanoma and for selected advanced SCC or Merkel cell cases.
These medicines can cause immune-related side effects in places like the lungs, intestines, liver, or hormone glands. We monitor for these and adjust the plan when needed. We would rather hear from you early than have you wait it out.
Targeted therapy uses medicines that block specific changes inside cancer cells. For melanoma, certain pills work only when the tumor has a particular gene change, such as a BRAF mutation.
Side effects differ from chemotherapy and can include rashes, fevers, joint pain, or fatigue. Our team helps patients manage targeted therapy side effects with practical adjustments and close follow-up.
Chemotherapy is used less often for skin cancer than it once was. Newer drugs now come first in many advanced treatment plans. Chemotherapy still has a role in some cases, including certain Merkel cell or squamous cell cancers.
Your medical oncologist will explain whether chemotherapy fits your plan, on its own or alongside other treatment.
For advanced melanoma, your tumor sample may be tested for specific gene changes such as a BRAF mutation, or for proteins such as PD-L1. These results can help your team narrow which medicines are more likely to fit your case.
Your team will arrange this testing through a certified laboratory after your biopsy. Results may take a couple of weeks. We will explain what the report means before any treatment decisions are made.
Driving to Tampa for every appointment is hard when you are already managing treatment, work, and family. Our Brooksville facility keeps your radiation team, infusion room, and in-house laboratory under one roof. We also offer on-site computed tomography (CT) scans plus mobile positron emission tomography (PET) scans that show cell activity.
Patients come to us from Brooksville, Spring Hill, Weeki Wachee, and Ridge Manor. Many had a skin cancer caught early and now want a local team for follow-up and any next steps.
Our financial counselors can help you understand coverage and out-of-pocket costs. If a claim is denied, your team can point you toward the next step.
Some patients arrive after a biopsy of a less common skin cancer, or with a related diagnosis. Reading about eyelid cancer treatment is useful when a lesion sits near or on the eyelid. For HHV-8 related lesions, the kaposi sarcoma treatment page explains what oncology care looks like.
If your diagnosis is melanoma, the melanoma treatment page covers staging, options, and follow-up. If you are not sure whether a spot needs urgent attention, the early warning signs of basal cell carcinoma are a good place to start.
Some symptoms after diagnosis or treatment need emergency care, not a return appointment. Call 911 right away if you have:
•Severe chest pain or sudden trouble breathing.
•Sudden weakness, slurred speech, face drooping, or signs of stroke.
•A sudden severe headache, confusion, or new seizure.
•Heavy bleeding from a wound that does not stop.
For less severe but still urgent issues, call our team the same day at 352-345-4565. These include a fever during treatment, a rash spreading on immunotherapy, persistent vomiting, or a treated area that looks infected.
The expert team at ACTC in Florida delivers top-tier cancer care through individualized treatment plans grounded in the latest medical evidence.
Our goal is to support your entire well-being—physical and emotional—so you feel cared for at every step of your cancer journey.
Meet our trusted providers at ACTC, each ready to offer expert guidance and care:
Hematology/Oncology
Radiation Oncology
A skin cancer diagnosis brings a lot of uncertainty, and the path forward is rarely a single decision. The clearest way to understand your options is to sit down with our team, review your pathology, and map out what comes next. Call 352-345-4565 or book an appointment to schedule a consultation in Brooksville.
As one of Florida's leading advanced skin cancer centers, we understand how a cancer diagnosis and treatment impact a person's physical and emotional well- being. Therefore, we work hard to make patients and their families feel secure. We provide comprehensive treatment for all forms of skin cancer at ACTC, including screening, diagnosis, staging, treatment, and long-term follow-up, all in one convenient location. Our physicians are backed up by qualified clinical staff with over two decades of experience and a reputation for providing individualized treatment.
Schedule a consultation by calling
352-345-4565
Often, yes, when it is found early. Most basal and squamous cell cancers are highly treatable when caught and removed promptly. Outcomes depend on the type, stage, location, and your overall health, so your team will explain what your specific report means.
It depends on the type, but waiting is not a safe plan. A spot that is changing, bleeding, painful, or not healing should be checked promptly. Untreated basal cell carcinoma can keep growing into nearby tissue, and squamous cell carcinoma can spread.
It can be, in advanced cases. Most squamous cell cancers are found early and treated successfully. Risk goes up when a tumor grows deep, spreads to lymph nodes, returns after treatment, or occurs in someone with a weakened immune system.
It depends on your case, but most often after surgery or when surgery is not enough. You may be referred for systemic care if your case is stage III or IV melanoma, or if lymph nodes are involved. Radiation may be added when margins are unclear or when surgery is not possible.
It depends on where it has gone. New lumps under the skin, swollen lymph nodes, an ongoing cough, headaches, or unexplained pain can all be worth checking. Tell your doctor about any new or worsening symptom rather than waiting for the next visit.
Bring your pathology report, recent imaging on a disc or through a portal, a current medication list, and your insurance card. Write down questions ahead of time, since it is easy to forget them once the visit starts.
Schedule a consultation by calling
352-345-4565
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15211 Cortez Boulevard, Brooksville, Florida 34613