TREATMENT OF SKIN CANCERS WITH CRYOSURGERY USING NITROUS-OXIDE

Cryosurgery is an effective method of treatment of skin cancers. The c ryogen used dermatology is usually liquid nitrogen (- 196 degrees C). In contrast, nitrous oxide (- 89.5 degrees C) has been used to success fully treat tumoral lesions in gastroenterology and urology [1]. The a im of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of nitrous oxide in th e treatment of skin cancers. One hundred and thirty-two carcinomas, in cluding basal cell, squamous cell and basosquamous cell carcinomas, we re treated by cryosurgery using nitrous oxide between 1988 and 1991. W ith a maximum follow up of 55 months, only 2 recurrences were observed producing a cure rate of 98.5%. Based on this preliminary study, cryo surgery, using nitrous oxide, seems to be a good method for the manage ment of non-melanotic skin cancers.