Failure of curettage and electrodesiccation for removal of basal cell carcinoma

Abstract

Sixty-nine primary basal cell carcinomas were treated by curettage and electrodesiccation three times, and subsequently, excised tissue was analyzed for microscopic persistence of tumor. We found persistent tumor in 33.3% of cases overall. Of 45 lesions on the head, residual tumor was detected microscopically in 46.6%, whereas of 24 lesions on the trunk and extremities, residual tumor was found in only 8.3%. This difference was statistically significant, even though the average precurettage and postcurettage sizes of the lesions in these two groups were comparable. Therefore, we conclude that basal cell carcinomas are more resistant to ablation with curettage and electrodesiccation on the head than on the trunk or extremities.

Non-melanoma Skin Cancer in Canada Chapter 4: Management of Basal Cell Carcinoma

“…51 Tumour clearance of lesions <2 cm in high-risk sites, assessed histologically following excision, ranged between 53% and 75%. 52,53 Advantages of ED&C in treating small lesions are that it is inexpensive, tissue-sparing, and generally well tolerated. Disadvantages include the potential for hypopigmented scars, need for specialized training, and lack of histologic confirmation of clearance.…”

The optimal follow-up time for a basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid

“…After examining comparable studies in the literature together with our study, we challenge the follow-up time (up to 5 years) of a basal cell carcinoma by a specialist, taken to be imperative by other authors [5][6][7]13]. It is nevertheless of the utmost importance to instruct the patient to return if any change takes place in the area of the excision, or in other places, since these patients have an increased chance of developing new primaries [6,7,13,17].…”

“…The chance of totally eradicating a basal cell carcinoma is greatest when it is treated aggressively in its primary state. Because the basal cell carcinoma has a great tendency to recur when the excision is not radical [4], a long period of follow-up is advised [5][6][7]. On the basis of the prevalence of recurrences in our cases this follow-up time is questioned.…”

Randomized, controlled surgical trial of preoperative tumor curettage of basal cell carcinoma in Mohs micrographic surgery

“…7 BCCs not located on the head or neck were excluded because they are not likely to have significant subclinical extension and are routinely treated with excision or electrodessication and curettage. 8 On the day of operation, informed consent was obtained from patients, and they were assigned, by a pregenerated, computerized randomization sequence, to either preoperative tumor curettage or control group. Using both bright surgical lighting and magnification, both groups then had the visible tumor margins marked.…”