"NMSC (basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma) is the most common type of cancer in the United States," says Focken's dermatologist, Genevieve Egnatios, MD, FAAD of Scottsdale Skin Boutique & Dermatology. "Affecting 3.3 million people each year, it accounts for more cases than all other cancer types combined. And yet, it is perhaps the easiest to cure. To that end, we prioritize each patient's best interests by involving them in the decision-making process and thoroughly reviewing all available treatment options for their skin cancer, including Mohs surgery and GentleCure."
Focken has enjoyed a lifetime of outdoor activities, dating back to childhood days spent in a backyard pool and on the family boat, often with minimal sun protection. Cumulative sun exposure is the primary cause of skin cancer, although other factors, such as light skin, use of tanning beds or a weakened immune system can increase one's cancer risk.
Focken was first diagnosed with NMSC in 2021 by her then-dermatologist when she was living in the Chicago area. That doctor and a second dermatologist both urged her to have surgery on a lesion on the bridge of her nose. Instead, Focken, who had recently learned about GentleCure, found a local dermatologist who offered the GentleCure noninvasive treatment option. "I was concerned," she says, "with the possibility of surgical scarring that might accompany a Mohs procedure." Her new dermatologist successfully treated her cancer with the noninvasive GentleCure treatment.
GentleCure uses high-definition ultrasound imaging to help clinicians direct low-level x-rays to targeted areas of the skin, killing cancer cells. For patients treated with Image-Guided SRT, the cure rate (freedom from recurrence at six years) has been shown to be greater than 99 percent, with researchers reporting that for early-stage nonmelanoma skin cancer, Image-Guided SRT is a clinically equivalent alternative to Mohs surgery and statistically significant in superiority to non-Image-Guided SRT.
Upon moving to Phoenix in 2021, Focken immediately sought out a dermatology practice offering GentleCure as an option, as she was aware that she was at higher risk for a second NMSC.
In late 2024, Dr. Egnatios detected an NMSC on Focken's forehead and determined GentleCure was an appropriate treatment option. In a matter of weeks, over a course of quick GentleCure treatments, that cancer was successfully treated and Focken had become the 100,000th patient to experience the GentleCure solution. "The sessions lasted only minutes," Focken notes, "and there was nothing to indicate to others that I was in treatment."
Today, Focken spends countless hours with her grandchildren at the Phoenix Zoo and enjoying other outdoor activities, but always with high-SPF sunscreen and protective clothing. "If any of my friends or family ever get skin cancer in the future," she says, "there is no question that I will encourage them to discuss the GentleCure option with a dermatologist."
SkinCure Oncology Chief Executive Officer Kerwin Brandt observed, "In a very short time, GentleCure has won widespread adoption among dermatologists, with more than half of those who offer it being Mohs surgeons who are eager to provide their appropriate patients with a noninvasive option for common skin cancers. Patient satisfaction runs above 99 percent, reflecting the value of this treatment and the quality of service provided by the physicians and radiation therapists who administer it. We are proud to partner with these health care professionals and look forward to expanding the availability of GentleCure across the country."
About SkinCure Oncology:
SkinCure Oncology is the industry leader in providing a comprehensive model for the delivery of Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy (Image-Guided SRT or IGSRT), the most advanced nonsurgical treatment for common skin cancer. The company partners with quality-focused dermatologists, Mohs surgeons and other physicians to bring cancer center-level radiation therapy treatment to private practices. Presented to patients as the GentleCure Experience™, Image-Guided SRT is available from some 500 physicians nationwide, with more than 100,000 patients having been treated.
For more information please visit, www.SkinCureOncology.com,
