Cryosurgery for skin cancer: 30-year experience and cure rates

BACKGROUND. Cryosurgery is capable of destroying nonmelanotic skin cancers, and numerous reports from around the world attest to its efficacy. However, there are few long-term data of large series of patients that were treated in this manner. OBJECTIVE. To report and evaluate the author's experience of using deep cryosurgery in the management of basal and squamous cell carcinomas on all areas of the body over a 30-year period. METHODS. Records of cryosurgical treatment in 4406 new and recurrent basal and squamous cell carcinomas in 2932 patients were reviewed. All cases were treated by the same physician. Liquid nitrogen was the cryogen. The open spray technique was mostly employed, and a double freeze-thaw cycle was carried out. Treatment was monitored clinically as well as by measurement of the tissue temperature in some cases; -50degrees to -60degreesC was reached in the tissue during the past 2 decades. RESULTS. The overall 30-year cure rate was 98.6% and was remarkably similar in all locations. A recent 5-year cure rate of 522 cases was 99.0%. There were five recurrences. CONCLUSIONS. Cryosurgery is a safe and effective treatment for selected nonmelanotic skin cancers and yields a high cure rate.