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Mohs micrographic surgery for melanoma increased from 2003 to 2008
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Use of Mohs micrographic surgery to treat melanomas increased by 60% between 2003 and 2008, according to data from the National Cancer Institute.
Researchers used data from the NCI’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program to conduct a retrospective analysis of patients who received surgical excision using either Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) or wide excision as treatment for invasive melanoma and melanoma in situ (MIS). They identified 195,768 melanomas from 17 SEER cancer registries diagnosed from 2003 to 2009, including 117,764 invasive melanomas (60.2%).
Of all melanomas, 3.5% (6,872) were treated with MMS. There was a 60% increase in the use of MMS between 2003 (555 lesions) and 2008 (1,138 lesions; P<.001).
Limitations of the study included that the SEER registries only provided information from 17 states, and that certain variables, including patient insurance status, type of provider referring for MMS, ultraviolet light radiation, difference by registry, health care provider type and treatment setting, are not addressed in the study, the researchers reported.
“Our study highlights disparities in treatment among populations with melanoma and elucidates the current state of MMS as a treatment for invasive melanoma and MIS,” the researchers concluded “As the number of cases of invasive melanoma and MIS receiving MMS is increasing, large prospective studies are necessary to qualify treatment outcomes of MMS in the treatment of invasive melanoma and MIS.” – by Bruce Thiel
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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