Microscopie-controlled excision of cutaneous tumors: chemosurgery, fresh tissue technique.

A modification of Mohs' chemosurgery which eliminates the zinc chloride paste but follows the careful piece by piece excision, marking, and mapping has been developed for the treatment of cutaneous tumors. The technique is called Microscopic Controlled Exicision (MCE). This 8-year retrospective study reports a 97.2% cure rate for 532 determinant lesions. On hundred eighty-five (35%) of these cases followed for 5 years or longer had a 96% cure rate. The modified technique eliminates the pain of zinc chloride fixative paste, shortens the time required to perform the surgery, removes less uninvolved, normal tissues, and the final defect is a fresh surgical wound which can be repaired immediately. These advantages become highly significant since a high 5-year cure rate can be obtained. It is recommended that this technique be used for all tumors which recur after routine treatment by excision, radiation therapy, curettage and desiccation, or cryosurgery, for tumors with poorly defined clinical borders, for sclerosing basal cell epitheliomas, and for primary cutaneous carcinomas in areas which have a predilection for recurrence.