Over the years, Hailan Liu, PA-C, a Physician Assistant for Surgical Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center, has noted that clinical information presented at a pre-surgical visit for melanoma surgery is difficult to digest on the spot. “Most patients are anxious at a first visit, and now, they’re asked to understand and retain highly technical information about a serious diagnosis. It is a lot to take in at one sitting.”

The Department of Surgery wanted to help patients over this learning curve and provide a more in-depth look at the various aspects of the surgery and its aftermath, so the team created a video to “show” what melanoma surgery entails using simplified animation that literally draws out a depiction of what happens. The patient can review the video at home as many times as needed, alone or with family members.

For example, a patient may come to Fox Chase for an excision of a tiny melanoma on their arm. However, because of the tumor’s pathology and the need for clean margins, the person may require a four-inch incision, which can be shocking if someone is underprepared for this possibility. The video explains why this could occur and that it is in the best interest of a successful outcome.

In addition, the four-minute tutorial explains that melanoma surgery requires not one, but two procedures—removing the melanoma and a sentinel lymph node biopsy—and demonstrates both procedures. “The video is helpful because it’s one thing to hear what a clinician is saying; it’s another to envision how this information applies to you as a patient,” says Liu.

“Fox Chase is dedicated to walking alongside a patient for every step of their cancer journey. And this video is just one more way we do it,” concludes Liu.

Click here to view the “What to Expect: Melanoma Surgery” video.