Finding skin cancer is the first step toward curing it. At the Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Center, a staff of skilled physicians offers their expertise in the early detection and advanced treatment of skin cancer, and can also address any patient’s skin care needs.
Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the incidences of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers combined, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. More than 3.5 million non-melanoma skin cancers in more than 2 million people are diagnosed in the United States annually. It is estimated that there will be about 139,870 new cases of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, in 2014.
Current estimates are that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in his or her lifetime. Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are the two most common forms of skin cancer but are highly curable if detected early and treated promptly. One method stands out as the gold standard in the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer: Mohs micrographic surgery. Not all tumors grow as perfect spheres. What is visible on the surface of the skin may be only the tip of the tumor that exists underneath the skin. There are several different modes of tumor growth that are best treated using the Mohs technique.
Mohs surgery is a highly specialized treatment pioneered by Dr. Frederic Mohs in the 1940s. “This is a method of removing cancer that spares as much of the normal skin as possible,” says Robert J. Willard, M.D., FAAD, owner and founder of the Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Center. “The surgically removed tissue is thoroughly examined under the microscope and processed for the detection of residual cancer. Additional tissue is removed only where necessary until the margins are determined to be clear.”
The keys to the Mohs technique include: serial excision of a tumor using strict anatomical orientation; examination of tissue using a microscope; and mapping the exact location of the residual tumor for the total removal of skin cancer.
A Philadelphia native and a graduate of LaSalle University and Jefferson Medical College, Dr. Willard completed his dermatology residency at the combined Walter Reed Army Medical Center, National Naval Medical Center and National Institutes of Health consortium. After serving in the U.S. Army at Walter Reed, Fort Campbell, Ky., and South Korea, he sought further subspecialty training in Mohs Surgery and cutaneous oncology at Brown University, where he completed his fellowship. Dr. Willard has performed more than 10,000 Mohs surgery cases, including the reconstructive surgery for the vast majority of these cases. He currently serves as chief of the Division of Dermatology at Abington Memorial Hospital and is also a staff physician at Doylestown and Grand View hospitals.
Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Center is unique in that it offers two fellowship-trained Mohs surgeons in the same practice. In addition to Dr. Willard, the group has Austin Liu, M.D., who completed his Mohs Surgery fellowship at Cooper University Hospital. Dr. Liu, who joined the practice in 2013, is a graduate of the SUNY Upstate Medical University. Following graduation he completed his internship at Brown University and his dermatology residency at Henry Ford Health System. Aside from Mohs surgery, Dr. Liu specializes in excisions, laser surgery, fillers/Botox and in the diagnosis of suspicious lesions.
Aside from its expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer, the practice also offers general dermatology for patients of all ages. This includes the diagnosis and treatment of lesions, rashes and a variety of other skin conditions and diseases. While the primary focus of the practice is medical, cosmetic offerings include Botox, fillers, chemical peels, laser hair removal and laser rejuvenation treatments for patients who are interested in pursuing these options. For patient convenience, the practice is capable of seeing the whole family, including children.
At the Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Center, patients can find a physician with whom they feel comfortable. This is important because regular skin checks are a critical factor in the early detection of skin cancer.
In total, the practice has six different medical professionals with varying backgrounds and personalities, so there is truly “a doctor for every patient.” Drs. Willard and Liu are joined in the practice by fellow dermatologists Mark Levenberg, D.O., FAOCD; Randi M. Rush, D.O., FAOCD; and Nianda M. Reid, M.D., M.B.A., FAAD; as well as physician assistant Jennifer McFadden, PA-C.
Dr. Levenberg graduated from Rutgers University and completed medical school at Nova Southeastern University in 2002. He did his residency at Lehigh Valley Hospital and became the chief resident in dermatology in 2006. A board-certified dermatologist, he has been working in private practice since 2006.
Dr. Rush, also a board-certified dermatologist, has more than eight years of experience in general and surgical dermatology, as well as cosmetic procedures. She is a graduate of Arcadia University and Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, and was a physician in the U.S. Navy. In 2005, Dr. Rush completed her dermatology residency with board certification at Michigan State University. Before joining the group, Dr. Rush practiced in California.
Dr. Reid, a graduate of Brown University Dermatology, has training in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology. She received her medical degree at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, as well as a dual degree M.B.A. in health care management from the University of Rochester Simon School of Business.
Jennifer McFadden, a certified physician assistant, is a graduate of Temple University and MCP Hahnemann University. With more than 12 years of experience as a dermatology physician assistant, she specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of skin disorders. She also performs dermatological surgical procedures, including excisions, biopsies, cryosurgery and sclerotherapy.
In addition to offering cutting-edge techniques, the practice operates in a new state-of-the-art facility into which it recently moved, located just off the new Route 202 Parkway at Lower State Road. It also hosts a Light Treatment Center, which offers medical light therapy for the treatment of psoriasis, vitiligo, eczema, alopecia areata, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and other skin conditions. According to Dr. Willard, light therapy involves exposing the skin to wavelengths of ultraviolet light under medical supervision. Photodynamic therapy is also offered. This procedure involves the use of a topical photosensitizing agent and blue light to treat sun-damaged and pre-cancerous skin. The XTRAC Excimer laser is also available for localized psoriasis, alopecia areata and vitiligo. It involves an intensely focused beam of ultraviolet light that is targeted to individual lesions of the skin.
The practice’s advanced equipment also includes the Palomar Icon Aesthetic System, which is often touted as the next generation of platform technology. Offering multiple devices in one machine, it can be utilized for hair removal, vascular lesions, photo rejuvenation and pigmented lesion removal.
“These tools offer the latest technology and allow us to treat patients with a wide array of conditions,” Dr. Willard says.
The practice is committed to offering the very best treatment and care available to its patients, and continually invests to stay current with the latest technology and training. Patients have many options when it comes to dermatologists but will find that the Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Center in Doylestown is an exceptional choice.
Dermatology & Mohs Surgery Center
www.dermatologyandmohs.com
2003 Lower State Road, Building 200
Doylestown, PA 18901
215-345-6647 (MOHS)
920 Lawn Ave., Suite 3
Sellersville, PA 18960
267-354-1440
Photograph by Kim Billingsley
