Basal cell carcinomas: do they need to be followed up?

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the commonest of the malignant skin tumours. The follow-up of patients following excision of these lesions varies immensely. The aim of this study was to assess the need for outpatient follow-up of patients who had a primary BCC excised. A retrospective study was performed using the case notes of 206 patients who had a primary BCC excised in Bangour General Hospital in the years 1986 and 1987. Fourteen were excluded from the study, leaving 192 patients with 215 lesions. The overall recurrence rate was 5.1% with 39% of lesions recurring if the tumour was incompletely excised compared with 1% if it was excised completely. Complete excision is therefore the key to surgical control and we feel that there is no need to follow up patients routinely if the BCC has been completely excised.