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Study data show increase in use of Mohs' micrographic surgery for skin cancer treatment
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Researchers observed an increasing trend in the use of Mohs' micrographic surgery to treat skin cancer from 1995 to 2010, particularly in the regions of the head and neck, according to recently published study results.
The researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of data from the 1995 to 2010 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for patients visits related to Mohs' micrographic surgery (MMS). The percentage of skin cancers and the most common skin cancer locations managed with MMS, as well as patient demographics associated with MMS, were measured.
During the study period there were approximately 88,840,000 visits for skin cancer, of which 29,040,000 were procedural visits, which were defined as including a skin cancer procedure of MMS or excision/destruction MMS. The MMS technique was used to manage 10% of the skin cancer visits, including skin cancer procedures, according to the researchers.
The trend in percentage of skin cancers managed by MMS increased from approximately 3% in 1995 to 17% in 2010 (P = .004). A trend approaching significance in the percentage of MMS treatments for head and neck malignancies was also observed, according to the researchers.
Dermatologists performed 79.2% of all MMS procedures, but only performed the technique for 10.4% of skin cancer procedures. Thirty-two percent of all MMS procedures were performed on patients between the ages of 75 and 84 years, and black patients received a higher percentage of MMS (44.2%) compared with white patients (9.6%); however, the researchers reported that the 22-person sample size for blacks was too small to be reliably estimated.
The researchers noted that the overall rate for MMS to manage skin cancer was low. They also stated that the head and neck region was considered to be at high risk for skin cancer recurrence and was an area of cosmetic importance. Therefore, MMS, a tissue-conserving technique, is a suitable treatment for the region. – by Bruce Thiel
Disclosures: Reeder reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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