Summaries of Must-Read Clinical Literature, Guidelines, and FDA Actions
Surgical Methods for DFSP Compared, Evaluated
Dermatol Surg; ePub 2016 Oct 4; Lowe, et al
Surgical excision with meticulous histologic evaluation of all surgical margins is needed for dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) treatment to achieve long-term high cure rates and low morbidity, according to a recent study. In order to compare long-term outcomes after Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) and wide local excision (WLE), researchers retrospectively reviewed records of patients with DFSP surgically treated with WLE or MMS from January 1955 through March 2012. Mean follow-up for patients treated with MMS (n=67) and WLE (n=91) was 4.8 and 5.7 years, respectively. They found:
- 28 patients (30.8%) with WLE had recurrence (mean, 4.4 years), whereas only 2 (3.0%) with MMS had recurrence (1.0 and 2.6 years).
- Recurrence-free survival rates at 1, 5, 10, and 15 years were significantly higher with MMS.
- Primary closure was used for 73% of MMS cases, whereas WLE more commonly used flaps, grafts, or other closures (52%).
Lowe G, Onajin O, Baum C, et al. A comparison of Mohs micrographic surgery and wide local excision for treatment of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans with long-term follow-up: The Mayo Clinic Experience. [Published online ahead of print October 4, 2016]. Dermatol Surg. doi:10.1097/DSS.0000000000000910.