Nonpersistence of nonmelanoma skin cancer in excision samples after shave biopsy

Introduction: Approximately 3 million Americans are diagnosed and treated annually with nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Traditionally these cancers are diagnosed by shave biopsy or punch biopsy. Although shave biopsy is often used in diagnosis of NMSC, limited data exists regarding the persistence of residual tumor at the time of definitive treatment, such as excision. Literature suggests that 15%-40% of the time residual NMSC is not found at the time of excision following shave biopsy.
Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology - Category: Dermatology Source Type: research