Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2004 Jul;151(1):141-7.
doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2004.06047.x.

Mohs' micrographic surgery for treatment of basal cell carcinoma of the face--results of a retrospective study and review of the literature

N W J Smeets  1 , D I M Kuijpers, P Nelemans, J U Ostertag, M E J M Verhaegh, G A M Krekels, H A M Neumann
Affiliations
Review

Mohs' micrographic surgery for treatment of basal cell carcinoma of the face--results of a retrospective study and review of the literature

N W J Smeets et al. Br J Dermatol. 2004 Jul.

Abstract

Background: The incidence of skin cancer and especially basal cell carcinoma (BCC) has increased in the last decade and is still increasing. Many treatment modalities can be used to treat BCC; surgical excision is the most frequently used. Mohs' micrographic surgery (MMS) is an advanced excision technique which is often used to treat BCC in the U.S.A. In Europe it is practised less frequently.

Objective: The aim of this article was to evaluate the efficiency of MMS for the treatment of facial BCC.

Methods: In a retrospective study recurrence rates after the treatment of facial BCC by MMS were estimated by reviewing the records of all patients with BCCs (620 patients with 720 BCCs) treated by MMS in our department from April 1992 until December 1999.

Results: The 5-year recurrence rates estimated from this study were 3.2% for primary BCC and 6.7% for recurrent BCC. Prognostic factors for recurrence are: an aggressive histopathological subtype, more than four Mohs' stages, a large defect size and a recurrent BCC.

Conclusion: Based on the fact that MMS provides the lowest recurrence rates, it is the treatment of first choice for primary facial BCCs with an aggressive histopathological subtype and for recurrent BCCs in the face.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in