Incidence of residual basal cell carcinoma in patients who appear tumor free after biopsy - 07/09/11
Background: |
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) biopsy sites often heal with no clinical evidence of residual tumor.
Objective: |
The purpose of our study is to determine whether such patients require further therapy. If biopsies can be curative, health care costs can be reduced by avoiding unnecessary surgery.
Methods: |
We prospectively evaluated 41 consecutive subjects with 42 biopsy-confirmed BCCs who appeared disease free. Each biopsy site was excised and processed by the Mohs micrographic technique. The tissue block was sectioned horizontally at 30-μm intervals until exhausted. Sections were stained and examined microscopically for residual tumor.
Results: |
Tumor was identified in 28 (66%) of 42 cases. No statistically significant relationship was found between the presence or absence of residual tumor and the following variables: age, sex, tumor location, biopsy technique, histopathologic subtype, scar size, time from biopsy to surgery, and extent of inflammation in histologic sections.
Conclusion: |
Our data suggest that patients with small (<1 cm) primary BCCs that appear to be completely removed after a biopsy procedure are at risk for recurrence without further treatment.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.| * | Supported by the Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine. |
Vol 41 - N° 4
P. 600-605 - octobre 1999 Retour au numéro
Article précédent
- Contact immunotherapy with squaric acid dibutylester for the treatment of recalcitrant warts
- Alice N. Lee, Susan B. Mallory
- Signet-ring cell formation in cutaneous neoplasms
- B.C. Bastian, H. Kutzner, T.S.B. Yen, P.E. LeBoit
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