title: Utility of dermoscopy for demarcation of surgical margins in Mohs micrographic surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Skin cancer is the most common malignancy and can be treated in various ways. One treatment modality is Mohs micrographic surgery. Due to the increasing incidence of skin cancer in the last decades, there is a need for improvement of the Mohs technique to optimize its effectiveness.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of dermoscopy to guide demarcation of Mohs micrographic surgery margins and ascertain whether this method can reduce operative time and, therefore, reduce surgical morbidity and cost.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample comprised 44 patients who underwent Mohs micrographic surgery, allocated into two groups: the control group and the intervention group. In the latter, surgical margins were guided by dermoscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups by chi-square analysis (p = 0.399).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although outcomes were similar in the two groups, demonstrating that dermoscopy does not help in the demarcation of surgical margins for Mohs micrographic surgery, the study provides a practical proposal for improvement of the Mohs technique.
authors.affiliation: Board-certified dermatologist, Brazilian Society of Dermatology, Physician in private practice, Curitiba (PR), Brazil.
authors.forename: Heliane Sanae
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Paraná, Hospital de Clínicas, Department of Dermatology, CuritibaPR, Brazil, Board-certified dermatologist, Brazilian Society of Dermatology - Professor, Department of Dermatology, Hospital de Clínicas - Universidade Federal do Paraná (HC UFPR) - Curitiba (PR), Brazil.
authors.forename: Sérgio Zuñeda
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Serafini
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Paraná, Hospital de Clínicas, CuritibaPR, Brazil, Board-certified dermatologist, Brazilian Society of Dermatology - Staff physician, Outpatient Mohs Surgery Clinic - Hospital de Clínicas - Universidade Federal do Paraná (HC UFPR) - Curitiba (PR), Brazil.
authors.forename: Maurício Shigueru
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D059925:Anatomic Landmarks; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000191:economics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000191:economics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D046169:Dermoscopy / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015580:Mohs Surgery / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D061646:Operative Time; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome