Mj. Timmons, MALIGNANT-MELANOMA EXCISION MARGINS - PLASTIC-SURGERY AUDIT IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND, 1991, AND A REVIEW, British Journal of Plastic Surgery, 46(6), 1993, pp. 525-531
In 1991, 146 consultant plastic surgeons in Britain and Ireland were s
ent a short questionnaire about their policies for excision margins fo
r primary cutaneous malignant melanoma. 106/146 (73%) replied. 39/106
(37%) considered narrow margin (2-3 mm) excision biopsies adequate in
certain cases. The minimum tumour thickness for a margin of more than
1 cm was 1 mm or more for 67/106 (63%) on the leg and for 57/106 (54%)
on the back. The maximum margin was specified as 4 cm or more on the
leg by 37/106 (35%) and on the back by 42/106 (40%). Other sub-groups
of results were analysed. A review of the literature is presented.