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Recommended Surgical Margins for Basal Cell Carcinoma: Is 3 mm Safe Enough?
Ömer Faruk Ünverdi1, Sercan Yücel, Osman Serdar Berk
1Ömer Faruk Ünverdi, MD, is a Physician, Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Istanbul Okan University School of Medicine, Turkey. In Kayseri, Turkey, Sercan Yücel, MD, is Specialist Plastic Surgeon, Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Kayseri City Hospital; and Osman Serdar Berk, MD, is a resident, Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Erciyes University School of Medicine. The authors have disclosed no financial relationships related to this article. Submitted December 31, 2018; accepted in revised form April 17, 2019.
Objective:
The primary aim of treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the complete excision of the tumor. Reconstruction of the defect after surgical excision varies, depending on the location and size of the defect and the skin to be used in the reconstruction. In this study, investigators compared the rates of tumor positivity at the edges of BCC specimens excised with 3- or 5-mm surgical margins.
Methods:
Researchers analyzed data related to 113 patients with a preliminary diagnosis of BCC between August 2016 and June 2018. In total, 99 lesions from 91 patients not exceeding 2 cm in size excised with 3-mm (n = 53) or 5-mm (n = 46) surgical margins were included. Statistical analysis was performed using the χ test.
Results:
After histopathologic assessment, 3 of 53 lesions that were excised with 3-mm surgical margins had a positive surgical margin, whereas none of the 46 lesions excised with 5-mm margins indicated a positive tumor presence. However, there was no statistical difference between the groups.
Conclusions:
A 3-mm surgical margin may be sufficient and safe for BCC excision.
