Understanding the Malignancy Potential of Cutaneous/Subcutaneous Lesions: Insight from 9,202 Day-Surgery Procedures

Cutaneous and subcutaneous lesions often go unnoticed or disregarded, yet they can harbor malignant potential. These seemingly innocuous bumps and lumps vary in size and nature, necessitating thorough evaluation by health care professionals. In this study encompassing 9,202 day-surgery procedures, we sought to elucidate the malignancy risk associated with cutaneous/subcutaneous lesions.

Conducted as a descriptive case-control investigation, our study enrolled patients undergoing excision for such lesions from 2009 to 2018. Patients were stratified into study (malignancy confirmed by histopathology) and control groups. Comprehensive data collection included demographic profiles, pathology reports, surgical details, and follow-up outcomes.

Analysis of 9,202 excision procedures involving 8,962 patients revealed epidermal/tricholemmal cyst as the most prevalent lesion type (34.5%), followed by lipomas (21.8%). Malignancies were identified in 1.1% of cases, predominantly affecting older individuals (mean age: 60.3 ± 16.2 years). While malignancy incidence correlated with advancing age, no significant gender disparity was observed ( p  < 0.001 and p  = 0.353, respectively).

Our findings underscore the imperative of vigilance toward cutaneous and subcutaneous lesions, as they may harbor malignancy. Timely assessment by health care providers is paramount to promptly identify and manage potentially malignant lesions. With malignancy detected in over 1% of cases, our study emphasizes the necessity for meticulous evaluation and appropriate intervention strategies to mitigate associated risks effectively.