Basal cell carcinoma follow-up practices by dermatologists: a national survey

After treatment of a basal cell carcinoma (BCC) patients are at risk of recurrence of that BCC; also, patients who have had a primary BCC are those who have an increased risk of developing a subsequent primary BCC. However, long-term hospital-based follow-up of all patients would put large strains on the U.K. health service.

To investigate the follow-up intentions of U.K. dermatologists for well-defined facial BCC and to investigate the effect that variations in site and clinical indicators might have on those intentions.

A self-completion questionnaire relating to BCC follow-up sent to 388 dermatology consultants and associate specialists in the U.K. had a response rate of 68%. The effects of treatment modality, tumour site, histology, multiple lesions and various patient variables that might alter the likelihood of follow-up were examined. General views on the subject of BCC follow-up were sought.

Twenty-seven per cent of respondents reported that they would not review further after excision of a 'well-defined' BCC from inside a central 'T' area on the face; 37% reported that they would review on one occasion; and 36% reported that they review more than once.

While it is currently not feasible to follow-up all treated BCCs, a strategy to identify and monitor high-risk patients and a system to gather long-term outcome data prospectively are necessary aspects of a national health service. This study illustrates that the first issue is being addressed to some extent, but at the currently reported level of BCC follow-up in the U.K. there is little scope for collecting comprehensive long-term data on outcomes.