title: Auricular malignant neoplasms. When is chemotherapy (Mohs' technique) necessary?
abstract: A prospective study of 71 auricular malignant neoplasms was performed to identify lesions with a high risk of recurrence. Previously recommended margins for conventional surgical excision were marked. Then, all lesions were excised by the Mohs' technique. The Mohs' defect was compared with previously marked margins for conventional excision. Conventional excision would have been inadequate in 13% of primary and initially recurrent lesions smaller than 1 cm (clinical examination) and in 27% of primary lesions and 33% of recurrent lesions larger than 1 cm. All cases successfully excised by conventional excision would have resulted in a larger defect than the actual Mohs' defect. Morpheaform basal cell carcinoma was the most common lesion inadequately excised. Either cases of this histologic type or lesions larger than 1 cm or both require consideration for the use of the Mohs' technique.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D004428:Ear Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D004431:Ear, External / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies