Surgical Treatment of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Non-melanoma skin cancer has many clinical faces and involves a large variety of histologic types. The majority of non-melanoma skin cancer e.g. basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) are located in the head-neck region and especially in the centrofacial region. Histographic control for excision of the primary tumor in order to achieve a maximum cure rate, especially in case of BCC and SCC, is to be preferred instead of “blind” excision. The rare types of non-melanoma skin cancer, for example adnex carcinomas and Merkel cell tumors, require wide excision and in some cases regional elective lymph node dissection. The resulting defects of the primary site often can not be managed by primary wound closure. Therefore, further surgical techniques must be used. Local and regional flap plasties usually ensure a satisfying functional and esthetic reconstruction of the excised structures. The fundamental methods of major skin flaps like transposition flaps and advancement flaps are known since the last century. Meanwhile, these techniques have been refined and modified so that extended skin and soft tissue defects can be reconstructed following an uncompromising radical tumor elimination.