Christie G Regula1, Murad Alam, Ramona Behshad, Marc Glashofer, C William Hanke, Christopher Harmon, Ryan Johnson, David Kent, Patrick Lee, Naomi Lawrence. 1. *Vujevich Dermatology Associates, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; †Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois; ‡Department of Dermatology, St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri; §The Dermatology Group, West Orange, New Jersey; ‖Laser and Skin Surgery Center of Indiana, Carmel, Indiana; ¶Surgical Dermatology Group, Birmingham, Alabama; #Dermatology and Skin Surgery Center of Princeton, Princeton, New Jersey; **Dermatologic Surgery Specialists, PC, Macon, Georgia; ††Mercer Medical School, Macon, Georgia; ‡‡Department of Dermatology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; §§Division of Dermatology, Cooper University Hospital, Marlton, New Jersey.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mohs surgery is indisputably a highly effective treatment for nonmelanoma skin cancers. In the current health care environment, physicians are challenged to provide high quality, efficacious care in a manner that is mindful of the patient's general health and well-being. We have used a functional assessment to evaluate older patients who present for Mohs surgery. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to categorize the functional status, using the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) Scale, of patients 75 years and older undergoing Mohs surgery of a nonmelanoma skin cancer and to identify distinguishing characteristics of lower functioning patients. METHODS: Patients 75 years and older undergoing Mohs surgery for nonmelanoma skin cancer at 8 separate geographically diverse sites were included. Patient and tumor characteristics were recorded. Physicians scored subjects on the KPS scale and administered a questionnaire to categorize the symptoms and impact of their skin cancer. RESULTS: A total of 291 subjects completed the study. The average KPS score was 90.1. 93.1% of our subjects had a KPS score of ≥70. Subjects with a KPS score <70 were more likely to be older with larger symptomatic tumors. CONCLUSION: The vast majority of patients 75 years and older undergoing Mohs surgery are highly functioning. Lower functioning patients are older with larger symptomatic tumors that negatively impact their lives.
BACKGROUND: Mohs surgery is indisputably a highly effective treatment for nonmelanoma skin cancers. In the current health care environment, physicians are challenged to provide high quality, efficacious care in a manner that is mindful of the patient's general health and well-being. We have used a functional assessment to evaluate older patients who present for Mohs surgery. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to categorize the functional status, using the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) Scale, of patients 75 years and older undergoing Mohs surgery of a nonmelanoma skin cancer and to identify distinguishing characteristics of lower functioning patients. METHODS:Patients 75 years and older undergoing Mohs surgery for nonmelanoma skin cancer at 8 separate geographically diverse sites were included. Patient and tumor characteristics were recorded. Physicians scored subjects on the KPS scale and administered a questionnaire to categorize the symptoms and impact of their skin cancer. RESULTS: A total of 291 subjects completed the study. The average KPS score was 90.1. 93.1% of our subjects had a KPS score of ≥70. Subjects with a KPS score <70 were more likely to be older with larger symptomatic tumors. CONCLUSION: The vast majority of patients 75 years and older undergoing Mohs surgery are highly functioning. Lower functioning patients are older with larger symptomatic tumors that negatively impact their lives.
Authors: Niki B Vora; Karen L Connolly; Stephen Dusza; Anthony M Rossi; Kishwer S Nehal; Erica H Lee Journal: J Am Acad Dermatol Date: 2020-04-19 Impact factor: 11.527
Authors: Amanda Maisel-Campbell; Katherine A Lin; Sarah A Ibrahim; Bianca Y Kang; Noor Anvery; McKenzie A Dirr; Rachel E Christensen; Juliet L Aylward; Omar Bari; Hamza Bhatti; Diana Bolotin; Basil S Cherpelis; Joel L Cohen; Sean Condon; Sheila Farhang; Bahar Firoz; Algin B Garrett; Roy G Geronemus; Nicholas J Golda; Tatyana R Humphreys; Eva A Hurst; Oren H Jacobson; S Brian Jiang; Pritesh S Karia; Arash Kimyai-Asadi; David J Kouba; James G Lahti; Martha Laurin Council; Marilyn Le; Deborah F MacFarlane; Ian A Maher; Stanley J Miller; Eduardo K Moioli; Meghan Morrow; Julia Neckman; Timothy Pearson; Samuel R Peterson; Christine Poblete-Lopez; Chad L Prather; Jennifer S Ranario; Ashley G Rubin; Chrysalyne D Schmults; Andrew M Swanson; Christopher Urban; Y Gloria Xu; Murad Alam; Simon Yoo; Emily Poon; Vishnu Harikumar; Alexandra Weil; Sanjana Iyengar; Matthew R Schaeffer Journal: JAMA Dermatol Date: 2022-07-01 Impact factor: 11.816
Authors: Emma M Rogers; Karen L Connolly; Kishwer S Nehal; Stephen W Dusza; Anthony M Rossi; Erica Lee Journal: J Am Acad Dermatol Date: 2017-12-27 Impact factor: 11.527