Diag w/ BCC, growing since 2007, 1 cm diameter. May have to wait months for any treatment - How big could this be? (photo)

Question

Path report vague, no subtype indicated - microscopic description "dermis is expanded by basal cell carcinoma involving both lateral margins of the biopsy" diagnosis "basal cell carcinoma, incompletely excised" In Canada - followup will take months --- mohs waitlist can be 6 month long for out of province patients.

Steven Hacker, MD · Answer

Mohs is the best procedure to treat an incompletely excised basal cell cancer on the face. Treatment should not be delayed for six months.

Niels C. Krejci, MD · Answer

I would ask to have the slides re-reviewed by another lab (dermatopathology preferred) and get a subtype.  If it is nodular BCC and if it would take over 6 months to get Mohssurgery  then I would discuss with your surgeon if (s)he would choose curette the lesion to get a pretty good size estimate and then excise with maybe 3mm margins. In that location it should heal well. However, if the subtype is more concerning (infiltrative, sclerodermiform ...) I would press hard to get Mohs ASAP. Good luck.

F. Victor Rueckl, MD (in memoriam) · Answer

It would be helpful to know if this is a nodular BCC, but truly, if you have to wait months for the procedure, I'm not sure knowing that is going to be excessively helpful or not. BCCs grow like trees. Often the top of the tree is small, but the roots can grow far and wide. If you've had this cancer since 2007, the likelihood of a bigger root system is probable. Within 6 months the site most likely won't have grown that much, but it would have been more ideal had you been seen in the last 7 years! If you can ask for a closer appointment it would be better for you, but you can wait 6 months if you have to. "This answer has been solicited without seeing this patient and cannot 
be held as true medical advice, but only opinion. Seek in-person 
treatment with a trained medical professional for appropriate care."

Diag w/ BCC, growing since 2007, 1 cm diameter. May have to wait months for any treatment - How big could this be? (photo)

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Answers (3)

More Mohs Surgery Questions

I had upper lip MOHs surgery and reconstruction 3 days ago and I am still pretty swollen. How long for this to go down?

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