Curettage and Cryosurgery for Superficial BCCs and SCCs

For some thin cancers of the trunk and extremities, curettage followed by cryosurgery is effective.

Superficial basal and squamous cell carcinomas (BCCs and SCCs) usually occur on the trunk and extremities. As the name implies, these tumors grow sideways instead of down, so their area tends to be large while their tumor mass tends to be small. Surgical removal causes relatively large wounds. Especially on the legs, these heal slowly. These tumors do not invade vital tissues and are accessible to removal by curettage and destruction by cryosurgery. To determine the long-term cure rate associated with these methods in the treatment of superficial BCCs and SCCs, researchers prospectively followed 69 patients with 100 nonfacial, nonmelanoma skin cancers smaller than 2 mm in diameter that were treated in a dermatologist's office. The primary e…

Reviewing Author

Mark V. Dahl, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board Ulthera, Inc.; AuBio LifeSciences, LLC; Paris Therapeutics

Equity Elorac, Inc.; Makucell, Inc.; Paris Therapeutics

Editorial boards UpToDate

Leadership positions in professional societiesNational Rosacea Society (Chairman, Medical Board)

Mark V. Dahl, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board Ulthera, Inc.; AuBio LifeSciences, LLC; Paris Therapeutics

Equity Elorac, Inc.; Makucell, Inc.; Paris Therapeutics

Editorial boards UpToDate

Leadership positions in professional societiesNational Rosacea Society (Chairman, Medical Board)

Curettage and Cryosurgery for Superficial BCCs and SCCs

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Reviewing Author