Close and incomplete excision margins in non-melanoma skin cancer: A tertiary plastic surgery center experience

Abstract

Dear Sir, Non-melanoma  skin cancers (NMSC) are the commonest skin cancers, treated by  specialists. Previous national audit data have reported incomplete  excision rates of around 2.3–3%.1  Nolan et al. published NMSC incomplete excision rates by operating  specialty (dermatology, plastic surgery and general practitioners (GP));  the lowest incomplete excision rates were by dermatologists with 6.2%  for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and 4.7% for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).1  In contrast, the highest incomplete excision rates were by GPs (20.4%  for BCCs, 19.9% for SCCs). For plastic surgery, results were  intermediate with rates of 9.4% for BCCs and 8.2% for SCCs. Our  experience of treating NMSCs in our plastic surgery tertiary referral  center during the recent pandemic is presented...</p