Atypical Fibroxanthoma (AFX)

Atypical fibroxanthoma appears on heavily sun-damaged skin, usually the scalp, ears, or face of older patients — often as a rapidly growing, sometimes bleeding nodule. It typically behaves locally, and treated properly the outlook is good.

Treated properly means removed completely. Complete margin-controlled excision is the standard of care, and on the thin, sun-worn skin of the scalp and ears, the tissue-sparing precision of Mohs surgery earns its keep twice: once in clearing the tumor, and again in leaving enough healthy tissue for a clean repair.