5-year recurrence rates of Mohs micrographic surgery for aggressive and recurrent facial basal cell carcinoma

Mohs micrographic surgery allows for complete microscopic examination of the surgical margin when treating aggressive and recurrent facial basal cell carcinomas. This leads to the highest cure rates and maximal preservation of healthy tissue. The 5-year recurrence rates of 587 aggressive and/or recurrent facial basal cell carcinomas treated during 1993 to 2003 at our centre were studied retrospectively. The resulting 5-year recurrence rates using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were 2.1% for primary (previously untreated) tumours, 5.2% for recurrent basal cell carcinomas and 3.3% overall. In total, 87.9% of the tumours required at least two stages of Mohs micrographic surgery. The surgical defect's size after complete excision was, on average, approximately twice the size of the defect after excision of the clinically visible tumour with a 2-3 mm margin. Mohs micro-graphic surgery is underused in Scandinavia despite being the treatment of choice for aggressive and recurrent facial basal cell carcinomas.