Squamous cell carcinoma in the head and neck region: Standard excision versus Mohs micrographic surgery

It is unclear if Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) leads to fewer recurrences than standard excision for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Our retrospective cohort study of 672 patients with cSCC treated with MMS or standard excision showed that the risk of recurrence was 8% after standard excision, which was higher than the 3% after MMS during a median follow-up of 5 years. Remarkably, a considerable number of the recurrences occurred after 2 -5 years after treatment. Preliminary outcomes of our prospective multicenter cohort study show that approximately 15% of standard excisions is incomplete or with a histological margin <2mm. Our findings suggest that MMS might be superior to standard excisions for cSCC of the head and neck.