Comparison between examination with naked eye, curretage and dermoscopy in determining tumor extension before Mohs micrographic surgery

Abstract

Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is a technique for the treatment of cutaneous malignancies. Subtle determination of tumor margin would end to fewer stages of surgery. Our aim was to compare these three ways for determining tumor extension before initiation of MMS, examination with the naked eye, dermoscopy and curettage. Sixty patients who had basal cell carcinoma (BCC) in head and neck area were randomized in three groups (curettage, dermoscopy and examination with the naked eye). Each group encompassed twenty patients. The total number of resection stages in MMS was recorded for each patient. Demographic data of the patients and the total number of resection stages in MMS were statistically analyzed. Based on analysis of variance (ANOVA) test results, there was no significant difference for total number of stages in statistical point of view between three groups (P value = 0.1). In this research, the Pearson correlation coefficient showed that there is a direct relation between the age and resection stages (r = 0.19, P value = 0.04). The Chi-square test showed no differences between three groups in age, residence and radiotherapy history.

Design and Validation of a Handheld Optical Polarization Imager for Preoperative Delineation of Basal Cell Carcinoma

“…For example, dermoscopy typically utilizes non-polarized, white light illumination to visualize the skin surface. However, studies have indicated that this technique does not enhance the accuracy of the preoperative tumor margin delineation [ 31 , 32 ]. Recently, RCM and OCT modalities have been combined into a single device for NMSC margin assessment [ 24 , 25 , 26 ].…”

Effectiveness of dermoscopy in the demarcation of surgical margins in slow Mohs surgery

“…14 and the existing literature is contradictory (Table 3). 13,[15][16][17][18][19]21 While, some studies demonstrated that dermoscopy significantly decreases the final number of MMS stages, defect size and recurrence rates, 19,20 other reports failed to show a significant reduction of MMS stages using dermoscopy. 13,16,18,21 T A B L E 2 Comparison between examination with naked eye (group 1) and dermoscopy (group 2) in determining tumor extension before slow Mohs surgery Interpretation of the existing literature should be cautious.…”