title: Frozen section of skin specimens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Skin cancers are the most common malignancies in this country. Treatment of these tumors often involves assessment of margins, which may be performed by frozen section.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article discusses indications for frozen section, various approaches to gross examination of specimens, Mohs micrographic surgery, diagnostic pitfalls, methods to improve diagnostic accuracy, and special techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors' extensive experience and review of the published literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Frozen sections play a vital role in the evaluation of margins of basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. The role of frozen sections in evaluation of soft tissue tumors is controversial. With rare exception, they have no role in the evaluation of melanocytic tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Megan J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Smith-Zagone
authors.forename: Mary R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005629:Frozen Sections / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D010340:Pathology, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery