Cryosurgical treatment of lentigo maligna

Between the years 1973 and 1980, 20 patients with lentigo maligna were treated with cryosurgery. The tumors ranged in size from 1.0 to 7.0 cm (average size, 2.7 cm). The recurrence rate for all 20 patients was 10%. The mean average period for follow-up evaluation was 42.6 months. In selected cases (in particular, for patients of advanced age and with lesions of less than 4 cm), cryosurgery is of distinct value in the treatment of lentigo maligna. These tumors, small or large, warrant the use of temperature monitoring or the measurement of electrical current flow within the neoplasm during freezing. A longer follow-up period (for these patients and others) will determine the overall usefulness of cryosurgery in the treatment of lentigo maligna.