Background: Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is becoming increasingly popular for the treatment of cutaneous melanoma (CM) as multiple studies have demonstrated favorable outcomes for local recurrence and overall survival.
Objective: To analyze the outcomes of noninvasive (NIM) and invasive melanomas (IM) using MMS with fresh frozen sections. The primary outcome was local recurrence. The secondary outcome was to identify mean surgical margins based on tumor type and location.
Methods: Retrospective cohort study of 224 cases of CM treated from 2006 to 2016 at a tertiary academic center with MMS and fresh frozen sections by a single Mohs surgeon.
Results: The overall recurrence rate was 2.6% with a mean follow-up of 36.2 months. The recurrence rate for NIM versus IM was 1.6% and 7%, respectively. The mean margins for NIM and IM were 7.9 mm and 10.1 mm, respectively. These varied by tumor site and location.
Conclusion: This study supports the use of MMS in the treatment of CM and highlights how narrower surgical margins for NIM of the head and neck can be achieved without increasing risk of local recurrence.
Copyright © 2022 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.