Evaluation of the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers by surgical excision

A retrospective study of all non-melanoma skin cancers excised by two dermatologists at a private practice in 2004 (excluding Mohs microscopic surgery cases) was conducted. Two hundred and forty-one patients were treated, with a total of 453 tumours excised. The overall incomplete excision rate was 2.2% (10/453). For basal cell cancers, the incomplete excision rate was 1.54% (5/324) and for squamous cell cancers including Bowen's disease the incomplete excision rate was 3.9% (5/129). The majority of repairs were primary closures (82.6%). Although a significant proportion of the tumours were from the head and neck region (45.9%), this study demonstrated that careful patient selection, experience of the surgeon and adherence to recommended excision margins can achieve a favourable incomplete excision rate.