Failure to demonstrate the true resection margins of excised skin tumours: a case for routine marking

A solution of silver nitrate in methanol was used to assess the demonstration of the true surgical excision margin at histology of 100 skin excisions for basal cell carcinoma. In 15% of cases the true margin was not presented and deeper sections were required. The findings highlight the need for routine marking of excision specimens of neoplastic skin lesions to prevent incorrect diagnosis of incomplete excision based on a false resection margin.