title: Evaluation of the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers by surgical excision.
abstract: A retrospective study of all non-melanoma skin cancers excised by two dermatologists at a private practice in 2004 (excluding Mohs microscopic surgery cases) was conducted. Two hundred and forty-one patients were treated, with a total of 453 tumours excised. The overall incomplete excision rate was 2.2% (10/453). For basal cell cancers, the incomplete excision rate was 1.54% (5/324) and for squamous cell cancers including Bowen's disease the incomplete excision rate was 3.9% (5/129). The majority of repairs were primary closures (82.6%). Although a significant proportion of the tumours were from the head and neck region (45.9%), this study demonstrated that careful patient selection, experience of the surgeon and adherence to recommended excision margins can achieve a favourable incomplete excision rate.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, Australia. vernonpua@yahoo.com
authors: Vernon S C
authors: VS
authors: Pua
authors: Shyamala
authors: S
authors: Huilgol
authors: Dudley
authors: D
authors: Hill
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013021:South Australia; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods*; D016019:Survival Analysis