Mohs Surgery as Effective as Wide Excision for Lentigo Maligna Melanoma: Study

New research suggests Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) may be as effective as wide local excision (WLE) in treating lentigo maligna (LM) and lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM), without compromising melanoma-specific survival rates.

Lentigo maligna, often found on sun-damaged skin in older patients, can progress to the more invasive lentigo maligna melanoma if untreated, according to the paper. While Mohs surgery is widely recognized for its effectiveness in LM cases, its application in LMM cases remains controversial and is not universally adopted by all Mohs surgeons.

The study researchers, publishing in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, examined 22,852 cases from the National Cancer Institute’s SEER database. The study included patients with microscopically confirmed LM and LMM who received either MMS or WLE, with the goal of assessing whether surgical approach influenced survival outcomes in melanoma patients. The analysis results showed no significant difference in disease-specific survival between the two treatment options.

"Our research hints at the utility of MMS for LM/LMM. We encourage practitioners to consider MMS for the management LM/LMM when appropriate," the authors wrote.

Source: Puyana C, et al. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. 2024;23(12):7898. Doi:10.36849/JDD.7898