Epidemiological profile of patients with malignant skin tumors at the plastic surgery secondary service in the countryside of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Non-melanoma skin tumor is the one with highest prevalence and incidence in Brazil, comprising squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (CBC). The main risk factor for the development of these tumors is chronic exposure to sunlight, justifying the most affected age group and anatomical locations. Treatment aims to excise the lesion with minimal deformity. Surgical excision with safe margins is the main therapeutic option; others depend on the number of lesions, location, histological type, general health and medical comorbidity. Objectives: To describe the epidemiological profile of patients with skin tumors; to identify the prevalence of non-melanoma; and to evaluate surgical margin. Methods: Observational, longitudinal and retrospective study of patients undergoing resection of suspicious lesions in secondary service. Results: We identified 140 lesions in 67 patients, 59% were male and 71.6% over 60 years of age. The most affected regions were head and neck (72.1%); 69.1% were CBC, 29.2% CBC, and 1.6% melanoma; 80.4% informed free margins, 7.3% indicated affected margins; the mean age of these patients was 75.2 years and the mean number of concomitant injuries was 8.7. The association was significant between female gender and presence of lesions <5 mm. Conclusions: The prevalence of lesions in elderly men (over 60 years) is in accordance with the pattern described in literature. Free margins, which were obtained in most of the cases in this study, indicate therapeutic efficacy of the simple surgical excision. Marcroscopic margins adopted in the preoperative marking favor effectiveness, reserving Möhs surgery for recurrence or margin involvement. öhs para recidivas ou comprometimento de margem.