Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
Español

laser therapy

(LAY-zer THAYR-uh-pee)
Treatment that uses intense, narrow beams of light to cut and destroy tissue, such as cancer tissue. Laser therapy may also be used to reduce lymphedema (swelling caused by a buildup of lymph fluid in tissue) after breast cancer surgery.
More Information
Laser treatment for skin cancer; drawing shows a gloved hand holding an instrument with a laser light over a small area on the lower arm of a patient.Enlarge this image in new window
Laser treatment uses an intense, narrow beam of light to remove or destroy abnormal tissue. It is often used to treat precancers on the surface of the body, such as actinic keratosis, and may be used to treat some types of skin cancer.
Search NCI's Dictionary of Cancer Terms