Requirement of Re-excision in Surgical Margin Positive Basal Cell Carcinoma Cases without Macroscopic Residual Lesions (Our Experience of 714 Cases and a Review of the Literature)
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Original Article

Requirement of Re-excision in Surgical Margin Positive Basal Cell Carcinoma Cases without Macroscopic Residual Lesions (Our Experience of 714 Cases and a Review of the Literature)

Turk J Dermatol 2022;16(4):115-119 DOI: 10.4103/tjd.tjd_45_22
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Abstract

Background:

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a local aggressive tumor, which almost never metastasizes. In this study, we investigated the results of our BCC cases in the last 9 years.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to better understand the re-excision requirements in positive surgical margin BCC cases.

Methods:

Seven hundred fourteen patients operated between 2012 and 2021 were included in the study. Localization, subtype, and re-excision results were investigated.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Descriptive analysis was performed.

Results:

The mean patient age was 66.9 years (range = 17–98 years). The most common localization for BCC was nasal region (n = 235), and the most common histopathological subtype was nodular (n = 298). Seventy-eight patients had positive margins following the excision. Thirty-eight re-excisions were performed. Thirty-one re-excisions revealed scar without any residue tumor. None of the 78 cases with positive surgical margin returned with a relapse.

Conclusion:

We evaluated the reliability and efficiency of our excision limits with the pathological evaluation. We achieved significantly high cure rates, even by reducing our excision margins up to 1 mm in critical anatomical structures.

Keywords: Basal cell carcinoma, excision margin, skin cancer