Outcomes of Surgical Treatment of Skin Cancer at Surgical Oncology Unit of Donka, Conakry University Hospital

Abstract

Aim: The main aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes after surgical treatment of skin cancer. Methods: This retrospective cohort study concerned 46 patients who presented 43 skin cancers lesions surgically treated at surgical oncology unit, Conakry University Hospital. There were 29 (61.7%) squamous cell carcinoma, 12 (25.5%) melanoma, 4 (8.5%) sarcomas and 1 (2.1%) porocarcinoma. Surgical indications and prognosis factors were analyzed. Results: Surgical treatment included simple excision in 2 cases (3.8%), wide excision in 38 cases (71.7%) and amputation/disarticulation in 13 cases (24.5%). Inguinal lymph node dissection was performed in 16 patients (34.3%). Postoperative complications were wound suppuration (5 cases), lower limb lymphedema (4 cases), seroma (2 cases) and skin flap necrosis (1 case). Surgical margins were free in 28 (60.9%) patients, infiltrated in 3 patients (6.5%) and unspecified in 15 patients (32.6%). The median follow-up after surgery was 29 months. During the follow-up, 13 patients (28.3%) had a relapse. The relapse was influenced by surgical margins (p = 0.012) and iterative resection (p = 0.04). Overall survival was 65.2%. Factors related to survival in univariate analysis were: iterative resection (p = 0.008), fungated tumor (p = 0.037), the status of surgical margins (p = 0.002) and the occurrence of relapse (p = 0.0000). In multivariate analysis, the status of surgical margins was the only independent prognostic factor. Conclusion: The prognosis after surgical treatment of cutaneous cancers depends on the resection margins.