Jonas A Adalsteinsson1, Victoria J Stoj2, Haitham Algzlan3, Helen Swede4, Richard L Torbeck3, Désirée Ratner5. 1. University of Connecticut Department of Dermatology, 263 Farmington Ave, Farmington, Connecticut 06003. Electronic address: adalsteinsson@uchc.edu. 2. University of Connecticut Department of Dermatology, 263 Farmington Ave, Farmington, Connecticut 06003. 3. Icahn School of Medicine Department of Dermatology at Mt Sinai, 234 E. 85(th) street, 5(th) Floor, New York, New York 10028. 4. Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, UCONN Health, Farmington, CT, United States of America. 5. NYU Langone Health, Department of Dermatology, New York, NY 10016.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The literature supporting Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) and staged excision (SE) in treating primary cutaneous melanoma is growing but has not been critically reviewed for bias. METHODS: Articles concerning MMS/SE for melanoma were assessed using a modified "Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions" (ROBINS-I) criteria which measures bias in seven categories. RESULTS: 47/48 (97.9%) studies reviewed had serious or critical bias. None were randomized controlled trials. The most frequent cause of critical bias was poorly defined outcomes. The least frequent form of bias observed was change in intervention. LIMITATIONS: The modified ROBINS-I criteria cannot account for all study limitations, and modification of the criteria leads to some degree of subjectivity. CONCLUSION: The current body of literature suffers from limitations due to serious or critical bias in one or more ROBINS-I criteria. Local recurrence rate definitions are often poorly defined or not defined at all. Longer follow-up times, clear tumor classifications, and prospective, randomized study design are necessary to improve the quality of future research.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The literature supporting Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) and staged excision (SE) in treating primary cutaneous melanoma is growing but has not been critically reviewed for bias. METHODS: Articles concerning MMS/SE for melanoma were assessed using a modified "Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions" (ROBINS-I) criteria which measures bias in seven categories. RESULTS: 47/48 (97.9%) studies reviewed had serious or critical bias. None were randomized controlled trials. The most frequent cause of critical bias was poorly defined outcomes. The least frequent form of bias observed was change in intervention. LIMITATIONS: The modified ROBINS-I criteria cannot account for all study limitations, and modification of the criteria leads to some degree of subjectivity. CONCLUSION: The current body of literature suffers from limitations due to serious or critical bias in one or more ROBINS-I criteria. Local recurrence rate definitions are often poorly defined or not defined at all. Longer follow-up times, clear tumor classifications, and prospective, randomized study design are necessary to improve the quality of future research.