Documenting dermatology practice: ratio of cutaneous tumors biopsied that are malignant.
BACKGROUND
Skin biopsy is an important part of dermatology practice. Little is known regarding dermatologist biopsying practices.


OBJECTIVE
The objective was to assess the ratio of malignant lesions biopsied in practice and factors that influence this ratio.


METHODS
Using a dermatopathology database, we analyzed tumors biopsied by dermatologists to determine the ratio of malignant to all tumors (malignancy ratio). Additional analyses were performed for factors influencing this ratio.


RESULTS
Over 6 months, 11,072 tumors were submitted. Overall, the malignancy ratio was 41.7%, 3.8% for pigmented lesions. Practice type, location, or use of dermatoscopy did not influence this ratio; provider age was positively correlated with a higher malignancy ratio (r=0.51; p=0.02) and was a predictor of malignancy ratio (b=0.02; p=0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Approximately 40% of biopsied tumors were malignant. Dermatologists exhibit a wide range in their individual practice patterns. Increasing provider age predicted higher malignancy ratios with a 2% increase for each incremental year.
Green
Andy Ray
AR
Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 33125, USA.
Elgart
George W
GW
Ma
Fangchao
F
Federman
Daniel G
DG
Kirsner
Robert S
RS
D001706:Biopsy / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004282:Documentation / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*