[Pre-malignant and malignant lesions in minor surgery at a health centre. Appearances can't be trusted].

OBJECTIVE

To describe the characteristics of the malignant and pre-malignant lesions found in the minor surgical interventions performed at a health centre.

DESIGN

Retrospective, descriptive study.

PARTICIPANTS

682 lesions: all the lesions extirpated and referred to pathology except for epidermal and trichilemmal cysts, lipomas, molluscum, common warts, and nails.

SETTING

Rochapea Health Centre, Pamplona.Main measurements. We analysed the anatomical-pathological results and the distribution by sex, age-group, location, technique and edges affected in 27 dysplasias and 11 malignant lesions.

RESULTS

We found that malignant and pre-malignant lesions were more common in women, aged 15 to 44 for dysplasias and 45-64 for malignant lesions. The most common location was on the back; the most frequent technique, fusiform excision. This technique had the highest percentage of edges without lesion in dysplasias. The lesions whose edges were affected corresponded to punch and circular excision samples. None of the malignant lesions had their edges affected.

CONCLUSIONS

Most malignant lesions are not suspected. They appear in samples referred with a diagnosis of benign. Employment of techniques such as fusiform excision in lesions which are potentially malign, even though in principle they seem benign, enables them to be extirpated with free edges.