MOHS' CHEMOSURGERY TECHNIQUE FOR BASAL CELL CARCINOMA OF THE CHIN AND CHEEK AREAS OF THE FACE.

Abstract

Superficial basal cell carcinomas of the chin and cheek are currently treated by electrical and chemical dissection, surgical excision, and radiation therapy. Each of these methods has proved its usefulness in the management of basal cell carcinoma; however, each has certain limitations as attested by the number of reports that have been published concerning the management of recurrent lesions. In our opinion, the principal factor responsible for the recurrence of a basal cell carcinoma is the failure of the initial method of therapy to totally eradicate the tumor. Because of this problem, we began in 1960 to treat a selected group of basal cell carcinomas of the face by Mohs' chemosurgery technique,1as it was our belief that this method offered certain advantages of insuring total tumor removal that were not apparent in the more conventional forms of therapy. Because collective experience with Mohs' chemosurgery technique is limited, it