title: Malignant melanoma excision margins: plastic surgery audit in Britain and Ireland, 1991, and a review.
abstract: In 1991, 146 consultant plastic surgeons in Britain and Ireland were sent a short questionnaire about their policies for excision margins for primary cutaneous malignant melanoma. 106/146 (73%) replied. 39/106 (37%) considered narrow margin (2-3 mm) excision biopsies adequate in certain cases. The minimum tumour thickness for a margin of more than 1 cm was 1 mm or more for 67/106 (63%) on the leg and for 57/106 (54%) on the back. The maximum margin was specified as 4 cm or more on the leg by 37/106 (35%) and on the back by 42/106 (40%). Other sub-groups of results were analysed. A review of the literature is presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic-Surgery, St Luke's Hospital, Bradford, UK.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Timmons
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001415:Back / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D007866:Leg / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008545:Melanoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000523:psychology*; D006113:United Kingdom