Does inflammation contribute to the eradication of basal cell carcinoma following curettage and electrodesiccation?

Deep Shave Removal of Suspected Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Prospective Study

BACKGROUND

Diagnosis and treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in the same visit by shave removal may decrease health care spending and promote patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively evaluate deep shave removal of lesions clinically suspicious for low-risk BCC on the trunk or extremities in immunocompetent patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Deep shave removal with the intent to remove the entire tumor was performed from January 2015 to June 2016, and patients were followed prospectively for clinical evidence of tumor recurrence.

RESULTS

Seventy-seven lesions were removed from 51 patients, including 29 (37%) superficial and nodular BCCs, 27 (35%) superficial BCCs, 16 (21%) nodular BCCs, and 5 (6%) non-BCCs. Fifteen BCCs (21%) had positive residual margins after deep shave removal, which was significantly more likely to occur in nodular compared with superficial BCCs (odds ratio = 7.8, 95% confidence interval = 1.4-43), and underwent re-excision. Fourteen specimens initially reported to have negative margins after deep shave underwent resectioning, which revealed positive margins in 4 specimens (28.6%). No BCCs have recurred clinically after an average follow-up of 50 months (SE 3.2).

CONCLUSION

Consider deep shave removal for low-risk BCCs on the trunk or extremities in immunocompetent patients hoping to avoid a second treatment visit.

Basalioma: diagnostics, treatment (part 2)

The author present data related to the diagnostics and therapy of basalioma. As many as 62 references are reviewed.

Incidence of residual nonmelanoma skin cancer in excisions after shave biopsy

BACKGROUND

Nonmelanoma skin cancer is an increasingly common disease that is typically treated surgically. After histopathologic confirmation by biopsy, the carcinoma is typically removed by excision, but not all excisional specimens contain residual carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES

To define the rate of residual basal and squamous cell carcinomas within excisional specimens after shave biopsy in a general dermatology office.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 439 consecutive cases sent to a single dermatopathology lab from a practitioner's general dermatology office who also performs Mohs micrographic surgery. One hundred cases had a histopathologically proven carcinoma on biopsy with subsequent excision. Histopathologic type, location, age, sex, and time from biopsy to excision were all analyzed for statistical association.

RESULTS

Of 57 cases of basal cell carcinoma, 34 (59.6%) had positive residuals. Of 43 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 12 (27.9%) had positive residuals. Histologic type was significantly associated (p = .002) with residual carcinoma in excisional specimens, with basal cells 2.13 times as likely to have residual carcinoma present.

CONCLUSION

The rate of residual nonmelanoma carcinoma in excision specimens after shave biopsy was found to be different from previously reported in the literature. These data may have therapeutic ramifications if further substantiated.

Does incomplete excision of basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid mean tumor recurrence?

INTRODUCTION

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common tumor of the eyelid. In this region, reconstruction is complex and damage to healthy tissue should be minimal.

OBJECTIVE

To define the relationship between margin clearance at excision and the recurrence rate of basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid.

METHODS

This prospective study was conducted with 111 patients submitted to surgery for basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid between 2001 and 2003 and followed up for a period of five years. The patients were evaluated according to age, tumor site, recurrence rate and margin clearance at excision.

RESULTS

No significant association was found between incomplete tumor excision and recurrence except in patients under 56 years of age, female patients and in the case of tumors of the medial canthus.

CONCLUSION

A risk of recurrence in incompletely excised basal cell carcinomas of the eyelid was only confirmed in younger patients, females and for tumors of the medial canthus.

Nonsurgical treatment options for Basal cell carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) remains the most common form of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in Caucasians, with perhaps as many as 2 million new cases expected to occur in the United States in 2010. Many treatment options, including surgical interventions and nonsurgical alternatives, have been utilized to treat BCC. In this paper, two non-surgical options, imiquimod therapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT), will be discussed. Both modalities have demonstrated acceptable disease control rates, cosmetically superior outcomes, and short-term cost-effectiveness. Further studies evaluating long-term cure rates and long-term cost effectiveness of imiquimod therapy and PDT are needed.

Basal cell carcinoma with mixed histology: a possible pathogenesis for recurrent skin cancer

BACKGROUND

Basal cell carcinoma with mixed histology (BCC-MH) demonstrates more than one pathologic pattern of tumor. Appropriate therapy for the nonaggressive tumor subtype diagnosed from a superficial biopsy may not be adequate to treat the unsuspected aggressive tumor subtype, resulting in recurrent skin cancer.

OBJECTIVE

We prospectively evaluated the incidence and characteristics of BCC-MH.

METHODS

Mohs surgical sections were evaluated for BCC-MH.

RESULTS

BCC-MH was observed in 43% (49/144) of cancers. Only 10% (5/49) of the biopsy reports from these cancers diagnosed BCC-MH. Most BCC-MH were previously untreated (90% [44/49] of tumors) and were located on the nose.

CONCLUSION

More than 40% of basal cell carcinomas referred for removal of the residual tumor were BCC-MH. An unsuspected aggressive pathologic pattern of growth may not be detected after a superficial biopsy. Subsequently, the cancer may recur if the initial treatment for the diagnosed nonaggressive tumor subtype is inadequate for the undiscovered aggressive carcinoma. Mohs micrographic surgery is recommended for BCC-MH treatment.

Effects of biopsy-induced wound healing on residual basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas: rate of tumor regression in excisional specimens

BACKGROUND

Wound healing following a partial biopsy of basal cell (BCC) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) may induce tumor regression.

METHODS

Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) biopsy and re-excision specimens from 1994 to 2001 were reviewed for histologic evidence of scar vs. presence of residual tumor in excision specimens. Regressed and non-regressed tumors were analyzed to assess the influence of anatomic location, biopsy technique (punch vs. shave), histologic subtype of BCC or SCC, time interval between biopsy and excision, and patient age.

RESULTS

Nine hundred and ten excisions were performed for transected BCC or SCC, 217 (24%) of which showed scar with no residual tumor. Logistic regression analysis revealed significant differences in the regressed vs. non-regressed subsets. SCCs were more likely to regress than BCCs (40% vs. 20%, respectively, p < 0.00001). Independent of the NMSC type, tumors regressed more often following shave rather than punch biopsy (34% vs. 15%, respectively, p < 0.00001), as did tumors on the trunk and extremities compared with head and neck cases (31% vs. 21%, respectively, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

In our series, 24% of NMSCs transected on the initial biopsy showed no residual tumor in the excision specimens, implying that some event in the interval between biopsy and excision may lead to the eradication of residual tumor. The exact mechanism is unclear, but wound healing likely plays an important role.

Does wound healing contribute to the eradication of basal cell carcinoma following curettage and electrodessication?

BACKGROUND

Histologic studies indicate that C&D fails to mechanically remove all the tumor in a percentage of cases that far exceeds the 5-year recurrence rate. This raises the question that if C&D does not mechanically remove the tumor in a significant number of patients, why don't we observe tumor recurrence in most of these patients? Our previous study indicates that inflammation occurring over 1 month following C&D does not clear residual tumor. It may be some other process, requiring more time, that clears the residual tumor. Perhaps the proliferative or maturation phase of wound healing or, alternatively, a slow-acting process such as a low-grade immune response set in motion earlier, clears the residual tumor.

OBJECTIVE

To test the hypothesis that wound healing and maturation following C&D clear residual tumor that has not mechanically removed by the procedure.

METHODS

The frequency of residual BCC detected histologically immediately following C&D was compared with the frequency 3 months after the C&D, an amount of time in which the maturation phase of wound healing is well under way.

RESULTS

Twenty-two of 29 primary BCC less than 1 cm in size were tumor-free immediately following the procedure (clearance rate 75.9%). Twelve primary BCC <1 cm were treated by C&D, allowed to heal for 3 months, and then excised and checked histologically. Ten of the twelve BCC were free of tumor, for a clearance rate of 83.3%, which is not a statistically significant difference (p = 0.7187).

CONCLUSION

By 3 months, the proliferative phase of wound healing is complete, and our study indicates that this phase has no effect on clearing the tumor. The maturation phase is well under way three months following C&D, and no statistically significant effect was observed.