BACKGROUND: Compared with standard surgical excision, Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) provides superior cure rates for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Although cure rates of NMSC approach 99% with MMS, local recurrences occasionally occur. OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to identify histological features during frozen section examination that were associated with local recurrence of NMSC after MMS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of patients undergoing a second MMS procedure to treat locally recurrent NMSC over a 20-month period. Histological slides were reviewed to assess for possible causes of local recurrence. RESULTS: Of 3,169 NMSCs treated, 22 were locally recurrent. Possible causes of recurrence identified after MMS included dense inflammation in the final margin at sites affected by tumor in prior slides (27%), visible remaining tumor (23%), missing epidermal or dermal tissue (23%), and actinic keratosis (4%). One recurrence was possibly explained by incorrect mapping. No abnormality could be detected in 18% of cases. Possible limitations include the small sample size, retrospective design, and the possibility that some patients may have been lost to follow-up. CONCLUSION: Local recurrences after MMS are extremely rare. When recurrences do occur, they can be attributed to errors in histological interpretation or tumor mapping.
BACKGROUND: Compared with standard surgical excision, Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) provides superior cure rates for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Although cure rates of NMSC approach 99% with MMS, local recurrences occasionally occur. OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to identify histological features during frozen section examination that were associated with local recurrence of NMSC after MMS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of patients undergoing a second MMS procedure to treat locally recurrent NMSC over a 20-month period. Histological slides were reviewed to assess for possible causes of local recurrence. RESULTS: Of 3,169 NMSCs treated, 22 were locally recurrent. Possible causes of recurrence identified after MMS included dense inflammation in the final margin at sites affected by tumor in prior slides (27%), visible remaining tumor (23%), missing epidermal or dermal tissue (23%), and actinic keratosis (4%). One recurrence was possibly explained by incorrect mapping. No abnormality could be detected in 18% of cases. Possible limitations include the small sample size, retrospective design, and the possibility that some patients may have been lost to follow-up. CONCLUSION: Local recurrences after MMS are extremely rare. When recurrences do occur, they can be attributed to errors in histological interpretation or tumor mapping.
Authors: Andrea Gonsalves; Pranjali Tambe; Duong Le; Dheeraj Thakore; Aniket S Wadajkar; Jian Yang; Kytai T Nguyen; Jyothi U Menon Journal: J Mater Chem B Date: 2021-12-01 Impact factor: 6.331