Utility of teledermatopathology for intraoperative margin assessment of melanoma in situ, lentigo maligna type: A 6 year community practice experience.

BACKGROUND

Achieving negative margins for melanoma in situ, lentigo maligna type can be challenging, particularly on cosmetically sensitive areas.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the utility of intraoperative frozen section margin assessment using a teledermatopathology system in the treatment of head and neck lentigo maligna.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: Over a 6 year period, 96 patients with lentigo maligna had surgical excisions. The margins were assessed intraoperatively with frozen sections prepared in the manner used in Mohs surgery. The surgeon guided the frozen section slides around the margin while a dermatopathologist assessed the margin remotely.

RESULTS

In 2/96 (2.1%) cases, the safety margin was positive (frozen sections were false negative). In 1 further case (1%) there was a recurrence of the melanoma 13 months following the excision.

CONCLUSION

The described method is effective in treating melanoma in situ, lentigo maligna type with clearance rates similar to previous studies for Mohs surgery.