CRYOSURGERY FOR CUTANEOUS MALIGNANCY - AN UPDATE

BACKGROUND. Cryosurgery is a successful modality for destruction of ba sal and squamous cell carcinomas. There is a trend toward move aggress ive freezing of lesions and treatment of selected difficult tumors. OB JECTIVE. The indications and advantages for cryosurgery, recent treatm ent techniques, tissue response, complications, and results merit desc ription. METHOD. The standard method of treatment is used with aggress ive freezing of the lesion, including a greater lateral spread of free ze and attainment of lower tissue temperatures. RESULTS. The cure rate of cryosurgery is high and the cosmetic results are good to excellent . CONCLUSION. The results of cryosurgery are comparable with other mod alities. If may be preferable or advantageous for some patients becaus e of the quickness and safety of the procedure and its low cost. With changes in health care spending due to In su or regulation, and within the environment of a managed cave system,, dermatologists may choose cryosurgery on the basis of outcome and cost. (C) 1997 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc.