Three year Experience of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer in a General Practice

We report 85 lesions of non-melanoma skin cancer in 58 patients, representing 9% of the minor surgical workload of a single general practitioner. Cases were studied in order to describe pathology, management and outcomes. Eighteen percent of lesions were referred, mainly because of central facial site and larger size. Of the lesions treated in the surgery, all but four were treated surgically. Quantitative margins of lateral and deep excision were reported for 50% and 30% of specimens respectively. Lateral histological margins of clearance were narrower for head and neck lesions. Incomplete excision occurred in 4%. There was one recurrent lesion after two years of follow-up. A majority of non-melanoma skin cancers at this clinic were managed safely without referral to secondary care. Quantitative reporting of tumour free margins for skin cancer is lacking.