Surgical Excision of Non–Melanoma Skin Cancer in an Elderly Veteran’s Affairs Population

BACKGROUND: Non–melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common malignancy in the United States. Recommended treatment for NMSC remains surgical excision following a positive biopsy. Evidence of complete spontaneous regression of residual NMSC exists in the case of small lesions macroscopically removed by shave biopsy, but with a positive microscopic margin. The present study investigates the rate at which residual tumor is present at subsequent excisional biopsy, with the aim to assess if recommendation to forgo surgical excision can be made. METHODS: A total of 233 shave biopsies of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) or squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were performed during a 5-year period. All specimens included in the study were less than 2 cm in diameter, were macroscopically removed by shave biopsy, and had a positive initial microscopic margin. RESULTS: On subsequent surgical excisional biopsy, 42% of BCC specimens were negative for residual tumor, 38% had residual tumor, but the tumor was completely contained in the excised specimen, and 20% of the specimens had positive margin residual tumor. For SCC specimens, 73% were negative for residual tumor, 21% had residual tumor, but the tumor was completely contained in the excised specimen, and 6% of the specimens had positive margin residual tumor. CONCLUSIONS: Although reduction of residual tumor at reexcision is noted with both BCC and even more so with SCC, the rate at which this occurs is not sufficient that a general recommendation to forgo surgical excision can be made.