Pieter J du Plessis1,2, Mihaela Leventer3, Gertruud Krekels4, Jacob D de Wet1,2, Severin Laeuchli5. 1. Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. 2. Skinmatters Mohs and Reconstruction Unit, Club Surgical Centre, Pretoria, South Africa. 3. Dr Leventer Centre, Bucharest, Romania. 4. MohsA Huidcentrum, Eindhoven and Venlay, Netherlands. 5. Dermatologisches Zentrum, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) International Traveling Mentorship Program (ITMP) has initiated an International Mohs Fellowship Recognition Program, with 3 centers accredited to date. OBJECTIVE: To describe and compare the outcomes of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) at the three units. METHODS: From patient files, we extracted demographic information, as well as tumor type, location of tumor, tumor histology, stages of MMS, and outcomes. RESULTS: At the 3 units, 3,899 patients were treated with MMS over a 5-year period in the South African unit, and 1,141 cases in the Romanian unit. Over a 3-year period, 849 cases were treated in the Netherlands unit. Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) constituted 78.9% (South African unit), 79% (Romanian unit), and 97.2% (Netherlands unit), and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) 17.7% (South African unit), 19% (Romanian unit), and 0.7% (Netherlands unit) of the tumors treated. The recurrence rate following MMS was low, at 0.1% (South African Unit) and 0.17% (Romanian Unit) of cases at the end of the study period, with a median follow-up time of 2 years. CONCLUSION: Mohs micrographic surgery is an effective treatment modality for removing BCC and SCC at ASDS ITMP-recognized International Mohs Fellowship units.
BACKGROUND: The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) International Traveling Mentorship Program (ITMP) has initiated an International Mohs Fellowship Recognition Program, with 3 centers accredited to date. OBJECTIVE: To describe and compare the outcomes of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) at the three units. METHODS: From patient files, we extracted demographic information, as well as tumor type, location of tumor, tumor histology, stages of MMS, and outcomes. RESULTS: At the 3 units, 3,899 patients were treated with MMS over a 5-year period in the South African unit, and 1,141 cases in the Romanian unit. Over a 3-year period, 849 cases were treated in the Netherlands unit. Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) constituted 78.9% (South African unit), 79% (Romanian unit), and 97.2% (Netherlands unit), and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) 17.7% (South African unit), 19% (Romanian unit), and 0.7% (Netherlands unit) of the tumors treated. The recurrence rate following MMS was low, at 0.1% (South African Unit) and 0.17% (Romanian Unit) of cases at the end of the study period, with a median follow-up time of 2 years. CONCLUSION: Mohs micrographic surgery is an effective treatment modality for removing BCC and SCC at ASDS ITMP-recognized International Mohs Fellowship units.