Surgical Treatment of Skin Tumors

When we mention about surgical treatment of any tumor residing on the skin independent of its benign or malignant nature, the first method we recall is excision. Elliptical excision is the mainstay of the dermatologic surgery. Each excision ends with a defect for which we are responsible to repair functionally and cosmetically. The diameter of the tumor we excised and the safety margin used for excision determine the diameter of the final defect. After achieving tumor free lateral and deep margins with the appropriate surgical method, we decide between the repair options of second intention healing, primary repair, flaps, full or split thickness grafts, considering the diameter and the anatomic localization of the defect, for the best functional and cosmetic result for that specific defect. This review overviews not only the most common dermatologic surgical methods, but also Mohs surgery which is a method rarely used in our country, although it is the treatment of choice for the treatment of high risk basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)