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World J Clin Cases. Mar 16, 2014; 2(3): 52-56
Published online Mar 16, 2014. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v2.i3.52
Published online Mar 16, 2014. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v2.i3.52
Retrospective chart review of skin cancer presence in the wide excisions
Ye Yuan, Shiyong Wu, Edison Biotechnology Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, United States
Michelle L Duff, Dawn L Sammons, Department of Specialty Medicine, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, United States
Author contributions: Sammons DL initiated the project; Sammons DL and Wu S designed the report; Duff ML extracted the data; Yuan Y analyzed the data and organized the results; Wu S, Duff ML and Yuan Y wrote the paper.
Supported by NIH RO1CA086928 to Wu S; and Graduate assistantship to Yuan Y from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ohio University
Correspondence to: Dawn L Sammons, DO, Assistant Professor, Department of Specialty Medicine, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, 75 Hospital Drive, Athens OH, 45701, United States. drdawn@oakviewderm.com
Telephone: +1-740-5664621
Received: October 11, 2013
Revised: February 18, 2014
Accepted: February 20, 2014
Published online: March 16, 2014
Revised: February 18, 2014
Accepted: February 20, 2014
Published online: March 16, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: Wide excisions are performed for skin cancers when malignant cells extend to the margins of biopsy. It is expected that cancer cells will appear in the excised tissue at the time of wide excision. However, an analysis of wide excision tissue samples from 200 patients revealed that approximately 50% or more basal and squamous cell carcinoma patients with cancer cells that extended to the margins in biopsy did not have cancer cells present on wide excision. This finding suggests that the wound caused by the biopsy itself may trigger a body response to eliminate cancer cells.