Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most prevalent malignant tumor in humans and the local destruction of tissue that can result from excision has a significant impact on well-being. Treating BCC is costly for health care systems given the high incidence of this tumor, especially in older patients. Standard treatment involves either resection with histologic assessment of margins or Mohs micrographic surgery. Surgery is sometimes contraindicated, however, due to the presence of significant comorbidity or high cosmetic expectations. For such patients, nonsurgical treatments have become available. These alternatives can offer good local control of disease, preserve function, and achieve excellent cosmetic results.
A new coronavirus, named severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 by the WHO, has rapidly spread around the world since its first reported case in late December of 2019 from Wuhan, the People's Republic of China. As of mid-April 2020, this virus has affected more than 180 countries and territories, infecting more than 1,650,000 individuals and causing over 100,000 deaths. With approximately 20 million new cases globally per year, cancer affects a substantial portion of the population. Individuals affected by cancer are more susceptible to infections owing to coexisting chronic diseases (cardiovascular, pulmonary, and diabetes), overall poor health status, and systemic immunosuppressive states caused by both cancer and the anticancer treatment. As a consequence, patients with malignancies, especially those with lung cancer who develop coronavirus disease 2019, experience more difficult outcomes. A recent multicenter study carried out by the Hubei Anti-Cancer Association has also documented that patients with lung cancer had an increased risk of death, intensive care unit requirement, risk of presenting severe or critical symptoms, and use of invasive mechanical ventilation. Here, we present two representative cases of patients with lung cancer and coronavirus disease 2019 without respiratory compromise and with atypical and severe skin manifestations-findings
BACKGROUND
Subclinical extension (SCE) of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) may be responsible for incomplete resection of the tumor. The aggressive histological patterns (micronodular, infiltrative, and morpheaform) have greater tendencies toward invading surrounding tissues in an irregular pattern.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the SCE of small facial aggressive BCCs excised using Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
An observational case series study. Data of patients with facial BCCs with aggressive histological patterns, less than or equal to 6 mm in diameter in high risk site (H zone), and 10 mm in intermediate risk site (M zone), treated with MMS between January 2008 and December 2016, were included.
RESULTS
This study included 306 histologically confirmed lesions retrieved from 1,196 clinical records reviewed. Median size of tumors was 5.7 mm (interquartile range: 5–6 mm). Resection of the tumors using 2, 3, and 4 mm margins achieves complete excision of the lesion including the subclinical extension area in 73.9%, 94.4%, and 99% of cases, respectively.
CONCLUSION
The present study demonstrated that a 4-mm resection margin was enough to eradicate the lesion completely in 99% of cases of primary small facial BCCs with aggressive histological patterns.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.