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Background: Large prospective studies on the safety of Mohs micrographic (MMS) surgery are scarce, and most focus on a single type of surgical adverse event. Mid-term scar alterations and functional loss have not been described., Objectives: To describe the risk of MMS complications and the risk factors for them., Methods: A nationwide prospective cohort collected all adverse events on consecutive patients in 22 specialised centres. We used multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression to find out factors associated with adverse events., Results: 5,017 patients were included, with 14,421 patient-years of follow-up. 7.0% had some perioperative morbidity and 6.5% had mid-term and scar-related complications. The overall risk of complications was mainly associated with use of antiaggregant/anticoagulant and larger tumours, affecting deeper structures, not reaching a tumour-free border, and requiring complex repair. Age and outpatient setting were not linked to the incidence of adverse events. Risk factors for haemorrhage (0.9%) were therapy with antiaggregant/anticoagulants, tumour size, duration of surgery, and unfinished surgery. Wound necrosis (1.9%) and dehiscence (1.0%) were associated with larger defects and complex closures. Immunosuppression was only associated with an increased risk of necrosis. Surgeries reaching deeper structures, larger tumours and previous surgical treatments were associated with wound infection (0.9%). Aesthetic scar alterations (5.4%) were more common in younger patients, with larger tumours, in H-area, and in flap and complex closures. Risk factors for functional scar alterations (1.7%) were the need for general anaesthesia, larger tumours that had received previous surgery, and flaps or complex closures., Conclusions: MMS shows a low risk of complications. Most of the risk factors for complications were related to tumour size and depth, and the resulting need for complex surgery. Antiaggregant/anticoagulant intake was associated with a small increase in the risk of haemorrhage, that probably does not justify withdrawal. Age and outpatient setting were not linked to the risk of adverse events., (© 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Characterization of patients, surgery procedures and the risk factors for dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) recurrences is poorly defined. In this study, we aimed to describe the demographics, tumor characteristics and interventions of DFSP treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MSS) to determine the rate and risk factors for recurrence. Data were collected from REGESMOHS, a nationwide prospective cohort study of patients treated with MMS in Spain. From July 2013 to February 2020, 163 patients with DFSP who underwent MMS were included. DFSP was mostly located on trunk and extremities. Recurrent tumors had deeper tumor invasion and required higher number of MMS stages. Paraffin MMS was the most frequently used technique. Overall recurrence rate was 0.97 cases/100 person-years (95% IC = 0.36-2.57). No differences were found in epidemiological, tumor, surgery characteristics or surgical technique (frozen or paraffin MMS [p = 0.6641]) in terms of recurrence. Median follow-up time was 28.6 months with 414 patient-years of follow-up. In conclusion, we found an overall low recurrence rate of DFSP treated with MMS. None of the studied risk factors, including MMS techniques, was associated with higher risk for recurrence., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The two main tumors treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). There are no studies analyzing whether MMS is different when treating these two types of tumors., Objective: We aim to compare the characteristics of the patients, the tumors, and MMS, and first-year follow-up of MMS in BCC and SCC., Methods: REGESMOHS is a prospective cohort study of patients treated with MMS. The participating centers are 19 Spanish hospitals where at least one MMS is performed per week. Data on characteristics of the patients, tumors, and surgery were recorded. The follow-up was done with two visits: the first visit within 1 month after surgery and the second one within the first year., Results: From July 2013 to April 2017, a total of 2,669 patients who underwent MMS were included in the registry. Of them, 2,448 (93%) were diagnosed with BCC, and 181 (7%) were diagnosed with SCC. Patients with SCC were older than those with BCC (median age 73 years vs. 68 years) and presented immunosuppression more frequently. The tumor size was significantly larger in the SCC group. Regarding surgery, deeper invasion was more frequent in SCC, resulting in larger defects. Despite this, SCC did not require more stages to get clear margins or more time in the operating room. Incomplete Mohs was more frequent in the SCC group (6%) than in the BCC group (2%). The incidence of perioperative complications was higher when treating SCC. There were more relapses in the first-year follow-up in the SCC group., Conclusion: There are significant differences when comparing MMS in BCC and SCC. Knowledge of these differences can help to prepare the patient and plan the surgery, optimizing results., (© 2018 The International Society of Dermatology.)

Background: Regesmohs registry is a nationwide registry including patients evaluated for Mohs surgery in 17 Spanish centres since July 2013. Given that Mohs surgery is the therapy with best results for high risk basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and other skin tumours, we wanted to describe the reasons that lead to some patients being excluded from this therapy and the alternative treatments that they received. These data may be useful to avoid excluding patients for Mohs surgery use, to estimate the healthcare demand of these patients and the demand for Hedgehog inhibitors therapy in this group., Objective: To describe patients excluded for Mohs surgery after pre-surgical assessment, and the treatments that they received., Methods: Regesmohs includes all consecutive patients assessed for Mohs surgery in the participating centres, collecting data on patient characteristics, intervention, and short and long-term results. Patients excluded for Mohs surgery after pre-surgical evaluation were described., Results: 3011 patients were included in Regesmohs from July 2013 to October 2016. In 85, Mohs surgery was not performed as they were considered inadequate candidates. 67 had BCC. Reasons for exclusion were: medical contraindication (27.1%, n=23) low-risk tumour in (18.8%, n=16) and giant tumour and bone invasion (15.3%, n=13). Only 1 patient (1.2%) showed lymph node involvement and no patients had visceral metastases. Of the 85 excluded patients, 29 (34.1%) were treated with conventional surgery, 24 (28.3%) with radiotherapy, 4 (4.7%) with inhibitors of the Hedgehog pathway (only indicated for BCC), and 2 (2.4%) received palliative care. We had no follow-up data on 14 patients (16.5%)., Conclusion: Medical comorbidities were the most common reason for withholding Mohs surgery. Withholding therapy on the basis of distant extension is uncommon. Most excluded patients received simpler therapies: conventional surgery or radiotherapy, with hedgehog inhibitors being a new option., (Copyright © 2017 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: The elderly population is increasing and more patients in this group undergo Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). The few publications investigating MMS in elderly people conclude that it is a safe procedure; however, these are single-centre studies without a comparison group., Objective: To compare the characteristics of patients, tumours, MMS and 1-year follow-up in patients younger than 80 years, with patients older than 80 years at the time of surgery., Methods: Data was analysed from REGESMOHS, a prospective cohort study of patients treated with MMS. The participating centres were 19 Spanish hospitals where at least one MMS is performed per week. Data on characteristics of the patient, tumour and surgery were recorded. Follow-up data were collected from two visits; the first within 1 month postsurgery and the second within the first year., Results: From July 2013 to October 2016, 2575 patients that underwent MMS were included in the registry. Of them, 1942 (75.4%) were aged <80 years and 633 (24.6%) were ≥80 years old. In the elderly, the tumour size was significantly higher with a higher proportion of squamous cell carcinoma. Regarding surgery, elderly more commonly had tumours with deeper invasion and required a higher number of Mohs surgery stages, leaving larger defects and requiring more time in the operating room. Despite this, the incidence of postoperative complications was the same in both groups (7%) and there were no significant differences in proportion of relapses in the first-year follow-up., Conclusion: The risk of short-term complications and relapses were similar in elderly and younger groups. MMS is a safe procedure in the elderly., (© 2017 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Introduction: The Spanish Mohs Surgery Registry is used to collect data on the use and outcomes of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) in Spain. The aim of this study was to describe perioperative and intraoperative data recorded for MMS procedures performed between July 2013 (when the registry started) and January 2016., Material and Methods: Prospective cohort study of data from 18 hospitals. The data collected included type of anesthesia, surgical technique, hospital admission, number of Mohs stages, management of preoperative risk factors, additional treatments, previous treatments, type of tumor, operating time, and complications., Results: Data were available for 1796 operations. The most common tumor treated by MMS was basal cell carcinoma (85.96%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (6.18%), lentigo maligna (2.81%), and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (1.97%). Primary tumors accounted for 66.9% of all tumors operated on; 19.2% of tumors were recurrent and 13.9% were persistent. The most common previous treatment was surgical. MMS was mostly performed under local anesthesia (86.7% of cases) and as an outpatient procedure (71.8%). The frozen section technique was used in 89.5% of cases. One stage was needed to achieve tumor-free margins in 56.45% of patients; 2 stages were required in 32.1% of patients, 3 in 7.1%%, 4 in 2.7%, and 5 or more in 1.8%. The defect was reconstructed by the dermatologist in 98% of patients and the most common technique was flap closure (47.2%). Intraoperative complications were recorded for just 1.62% of patients and the median (interquartile range) duration of surgery was 75 (60-100) minutes., Conclusion: The characteristics of the patients and tumors treated by MMS are similar to those reported for similar studies in other geographic areas. Lentigo maligna and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans accounted for a higher proportion of cases in our series, and repair of the surgical defect by a dermatologist was also more common. Operating times in MMS are not much longer than those reported for other procedures and the rate of intraoperative complications is very low., (Copyright © 2017 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The Spanish registry of Mohs micrographic surgery started collecting data in July 2013. The aim of the registry is to report on the use of this technique in Spain and the outcomes achieved. In the present article, we describe the characteristics of patients and the tumors treated., Material and Methods: This is a prospective cohort study of patients treated with Mohs micrographic surgery. The participating centers are hospitals where at least one intervention of this type is performed each week. All patients considered for Mohs micrographic surgery in participating centers are included in the registry except those who have been declared legally incompetent., Results: Between July 2013 and October 2014, data from 655 patients were included in the registry. The most common tumor involved was basal cell carcinoma, and the most common histological subtype was infiltrative basal cell carcinoma. Most of the tumors treated were located on the face or scalp, and the most common site was the nose. Almost 40% of the tumors treated were recurrent or persistent, and preoperative tumor size was similar to that reported in other European studies and in Australia. In total, 45.5% of patients had received previous surgical treatment., Conclusion: The findings are similar to those reported in other studies, and the data collected are useful for assessing whether the results of studies carried out elsewhere are applicable in Spain., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and AEDV. All rights reserved.)

Randomized studies to assess the efficacy of Mohs micrographic surgery in basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are limited by methodological and ethical issues and a lack of long follow-up periods. This study presents the “real-life” results of a nationwide 7-years cohort on basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery. A prospective cohort was conducted in 22 Spanish centres (from July 2013 to February 2020) and a multivariate analysis, including characteristics of patients, tumours, surgeries and follow-up, was performed. A total of 4,402 patients followed up for 12,111 patient-years for basal cell carcinoma, and 371 patients with 915 patient-years of follow-up for squamous cell carcinoma were recruited. Risk factors for recurrence included age, non-primary tumours and more stages or unfinished surgeries for both tumours, and immunosuppression for squamous cell carcinoma. Incidence rates of recurrence were 1.3 per 100 person-years for basal cell carcinoma (95% confidence interval 1.1–1.5) and 4.5 for squamous cell carcinoma (95% confidence interval 3.3–6.1), being constant over time (0–5 years). In conclusion, follow-up strategies should be equally intense for at least the first 5 years, with special attention paid to squamous cell carcinoma (especially in immunosuppressed patients), elderly patients, non-primary tumours, and those procedures requiring more stages, or unfinished surgeries.

Introduction: There is still a need to develop a simple algorithm to identify patients likely to need complex Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) and optimize MMS schedule. The main objectives of this study are to identify factors associated with a complex MMS and develop a predictor model of the number of stages needed in surgery and the need for a complex closure. Materials and Methods: A nationwide prospective cohort study (REGESMOHS, the Spanish Mohs surgery registry) was conducted including all patients with a histological diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Factors related to three or more stages and a complex closure (that needing a flap and/or a graft) were explored and predictive models were constructed and validated to construct the REGESMOSH scale. Results: A total of 5226 patients that underwent MMS were included in the REGESMOHS registry, with 4402 (84%) having a histological diagnosis of BCC. A total of 3689 (88.9%) surgeries only needed one or two stages and 460 (11.1%) required three or more stages. A model to predict the need for three or more stages included tumour dimension, immunosuppression, recurrence, location in risk areas, histological aggressiveness and previous surgery. Regarding the closure type, 1616 (38.8%) surgeries were closed using a non‐complex closure technique and 2552 (61.2%) needed a complex closure. A model to predict the need for a complex closure included histological aggressiveness, evolution time, patient age, maximum tumour dimension and location. Conclusion: We present a model to predict MMS needing ≥3 stages and a complex closure based on epidemiological and clinical data validated in a large population (with real practice variability) including different centres that could be easily implemented in clinical practice. This model could be used to optimize surgery schedule and properly inform patients about the surgery duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Randomized studies to assess the efficacy of Mohs micrographic surgery in basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are limited by methodological and ethical issues and a lack of long follow-up periods. This study presents the "real-life" results of a nationwide 7-years cohort on basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery. A prospective cohort was conducted in 22 Spanish centres (from July 2013 to February 2020) and a multivariate analysis, including characteristics of patients, tumours, surgeries and follow-up, was performed. A total of 4,402 patients followed up for 12,111 patientyears for basal cell carcinoma, and 371 patients with 915 patient-years of follow-up for squamous cell carcinoma were recruited. Risk factors for recurrence included age, non-primary tumours and more stages or unfinished surgeries for both tumours, and immunosuppression for squamous cell carcinoma. Incidence rates of recurrence were 1.3 per 100 person-years for basal cell carcinoma (95% confidence interval 1.1-1.5) and 4.5 for squamous cell carcinoma (95% confidence interval 3.3-6.1), being constant over time (0-5 years). In conclusion, follow-up strategies should be equally intense for at least the first 5 years, with special attention paid to squamous cell carcinoma (especially in immunosuppressed patients), elderly patients, non-primary tumours, and those procedures requiring more stages, or unfinished surgeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The two main tumors treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). There are no studies analyzing whether MMS is different when treating these two types of tumors. Objective: We aim to compare the characteristics of the patients, the tumors, and MMS, and first‐year follow‐up of MMS in BCC and SCC. Methods: REGESMOHS is a prospective cohort study of patients treated with MMS. The participating centers are 19 Spanish hospitals where at least one MMS is performed per week. Data on characteristics of the patients, tumors, and surgery were recorded. The follow‐up was done with two visits: the first visit within 1 month after surgery and the second one within the first year. Results: From July 2013 to April 2017, a total of 2,669 patients who underwent MMS were included in the registry. Of them, 2,448 (93%) were diagnosed with BCC, and 181 (7%) were diagnosed with SCC. Patients with SCC were older than those with BCC (median age 73 years vs. 68 years) and presented immunosuppression more frequently. The tumor size was significantly larger in the SCC group. Regarding surgery, deeper invasion was more frequent in SCC, resulting in larger defects. Despite this, SCC did not require more stages to get clear margins or more time in the operating room. Incomplete Mohs was more frequent in the SCC group (6%) than in the BCC group (2%). The incidence of perioperative complications was higher when treating SCC. There were more relapses in the first‐year follow‐up in the SCC group. Conclusion: There are significant differences when comparing MMS in BCC and SCC. Knowledge of these differences can help to prepare the patient and plan the surgery, optimizing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The elderly population is increasing and more patients in this group undergo Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). The few publications investigating MMS in elderly people conclude that it is a safe procedure; however, these are single‐centre studies without a comparison group. Objective: To compare the characteristics of patients, tumours, MMS and 1‐year follow‐up in patients younger than 80 years, with patients older than 80 years at the time of surgery. Methods: Data was analysed from REGESMOHS, a prospective cohort study of patients treated with MMS. The participating centres were 19 Spanish hospitals where at least one MMS is performed per week. Data on characteristics of the patient, tumour and surgery were recorded. Follow‐up data were collected from two visits; the first within 1 month postsurgery and the second within the first year. Results: From July 2013 to October 2016, 2575 patients that underwent MMS were included in the registry. Of them, 1942 (75.4%) were aged <80 years and 633 (24.6%) were ≥80 years old. In the elderly, the tumour size was significantly higher with a higher proportion of squamous cell carcinoma. Regarding surgery, elderly more commonly had tumours with deeper invasion and required a higher number of Mohs surgery stages, leaving larger defects and requiring more time in the operating room. Despite this, the incidence of postoperative complications was the same in both groups (7%) and there were no significant differences in proportion of relapses in the first‐year follow‐up. Conclusion: The risk of short‐term complications and relapses were similar in elderly and younger groups. MMS is a safe procedure in the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]