The complete removal of melanoma is a primary goal of excision, and local recurrence is one measure to evaluate the efficacy of surgical technique.

Through the comparison of published local recurrence rates for melanoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) or staged excision versus wide local excision (WLE) we can determine which method is more effective.
A search of 6 databases identified comparative and non-comparative studies that reported local recurrence rates after either technique. The pooled studies of over 16,000 patients showed a higher recurrence rate after Wide Local Excision (7%) compared with Staged Excision (3%) and compared with Mohs Surgery alone (<1%). The take home message is that Mohs Surgery and staged excision show lower local recurrence rates when used to treat melanoma when compared to wide local excision and it’s important in understanding which method your provider will use when you are seeking treatment

Article Citation:

Local Recurrence of Melanoma Is Higher After Wide Local Excision Versus Mohs Micrographic Surgery or Staged Excision: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
RLD Pride, CJ Miller, MH Murad, PJ Erwin, JD Brewer

Dermatol Surg 2021 Nov 30;[EPub Ahead of Print]