rss
Br J Ophthalmol 2009;93:474-476 doi:10.1136/bjo.2008.141325
  • Clinical science
    • Original Article

Periocular basal cell carcinoma: 5-year outcome following Slow Mohs surgery with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections and delayed closure

  1. D S Morris1,
  2. E Elzaridi1,
  3. L Clarke1,
  4. A J Dickinson1,
  5. C M Lawrence2
  1. 1
    Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
  2. 2
    Department of Dermatology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
  1. Dr D Morris, Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP, UK; dsm{at}doctors.org.uk
  • Accepted 12 November 2008
  • Published Online First 5 December 2008

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the 5-year outcome of periocular basal cell carcinoma (BCC) managed by Mohs surgery using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections (Slow Mohs).

Methods: This was a prospective, non-comparative, interventional case series of all patients with periocular BCC treated by Slow Mohs in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, between 1985 and 1999. Data collected included demographic information, indication for Slow Mohs, tumour site, histology, recurrence rate after 5 years and cosmetic outcome.

Results: Of 287 BCCs in 278 patients, 5-year follow-up data were available for 173 (60.2%). Recurrence following Slow Mohs occurred in one patient: 0.34% of total and 0.58% of those with 5-year follow-up. The main indication for Slow Mohs was most frequently due to the tumour site. Cosmetic outcome was deemed excellent in 56%, good in 18%, adequate in 8%, unknown in 14% and revision advised in only 4%.

Conclusion: The low 5-year recurrence rate (0.58%) reported in this prospective series confirms the importance of margin-controlled removal of recurrent, poorly defined or critically sited BCCs, and illustrates that Slow Mohs is equivalent to standard Mohs. While delayed closure does not appear to compromise cosmetic outcome, this technique offers a histologically superior and cheaper alternative to frozen-section Mohs surgery.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests: None declared.

  • Ethics approval: The study was started before ethical approval was required in the region.

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF
  4. All versions of this article:
    1. bjo.2008.141325v1
    2. 93/4/474 most recent

Responses

  1. Submit a response
  2. No responses published

Register for free content

The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.