Controversies in skin surgery: electrodessication and curettage versus excision for low-risk, small, well-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas
Reschly, M.J.; Shenefelt, P.D.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology Jdd 9(7): 773-776
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 1545-9616 PMID: 20677531 Document Number: 11778
Electrodesiccation and curettage (ED&C) of low-risk, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) generally consumes less time and resources than excision. Review of the literature reveals few recent studies examining cure rates for ED&C in the treatment of low risk cutaneous SCC. To evaluate via two retrospective studies the efficacy of ED&C in the treatment of low risk cutaneous SCC. A small controlled study in a Veterans Administration teaching hospital dermatology clinic compared cure rates of low risk SCC at one year by ED&C to those of surgical excision. A second study examined the cure rate of low risk lesions treated by curettage and electrodesiccation in a private practice. The first study found no significant difference in cure rates between ED&C (14 of 14 cases successfully treated) and excision (15 of 16 successfully treated and one recurrence) (P = 0.1711). The second study found the ED&C cure rate (106 of 106 successfully treated) to be significantly greater than an arbitrary cure rate of 95 percent (P = 0.0091). These findings support the efficacy of ED&C as a treatment modality for low-risk cutaneous SCC.
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