Surgical Treatment of 846 Patients with Benign Skin Tumors: Experience of a Dermatologic Surgeon in Korea / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: The incidence of skin tumors has been increasing over the past few years due to an aging population, environmental changes, and improved access to medical institutions. OBJECTIVE: To report the rate of relapse and complications after surgical treatment, and suggest appropriate ways of treating benign skin tumors. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 846 patients with benign skin tumors who were diagnosed and treated by a single dermatosurgeon. RESULTS: Of the 846 patients, 18 (2.1%) developed local recurrence. Epidermal cysts (15/390) were the most common skin condition, followed by lipomas (2/149). The recurrence rate of epidermal cysts showed no statistical difference when treatment options and the presence of inflammation or suppuration at the first visit were considered. Six patients (0.7%, 6/846) had one of the complications such as persistent inflammation over one month, severe pain, secondary infection, or skin necrosis. All the lipomas following recurrence or those with complications were located in the intramuscular or submuscular area of the forehead, which were easily localized by sonography. CONCLUSION: Surgery is a valuable method for the treatment of benign skin tumors with low rates of complication and relapse. For better outcomes after treatment, dermatologists should attempt to remove these tumors completely and consider the use of imaging studies before treatment.

A Statistical Review of Benign Tumors of the Skin for the Past 10 Years / 대한피부과학회지

We have reviewed the 503 cases of benign skin tumors which were confirmed by histopathological study from January 1977 to July 1987 in the Dermatologic Department of Kyungpook National University Hospital. The result were summarized as follows . l. Among the total of 26,690 dermatologic out patients, 503 cases(1.9%) were diagnosed as having benign skin tumors. The number of benign skin tumors has shown a noticeable increase in the last several years. 2. The tumors were found mainly in ages ranging from the 2nd to 5th decade, most commonly in the 3rd decade(124 cases, 24.7%). 3. Aceording to Lever's elasaification, the tumors were divided into the following 7 groupa . tumors and cyets of the epidermis(35.2%), melanocytic tumors(16.5%), tumors of vaecular tissues(13.3%), tumora of epidermal appendages(11.1%), tumors of fibrous tissue(8.9%), tumors of neura.l tiasue(7.6%) and tumors of fatty, muscular and osseous tiseue(7.4%) in decreasing orders. 4. The 14 common tumors in order of frequency were as follows epidermal cyst (17.l% ),:melanocytic nevus(16.5%), neurofibroma(7.6%), congenital hemangioma(6.4%), nevus sebaceous(6.0%), lipoma(5.2%),seborrheic keratosis(4,8%), linear epidermal nevus(4.6%), steatocystoma mutiplex(2.8%), dermatofibroma(2.6%), hypertrophic scar and keloid.(2.6%), granuloma pyogenicum(2.4% ), keratoacanthoma(2.0%) and syringoma (2,0%). 5. The predilection sites of seborrheic keratosis, keratoacanthoma, syringoma and melanocytic nevus were the face, linear epidermal nevus, dermatofibroma and granuloma pyogenicum were located on the extremities. 6. The duration of tumors from the presumed time of onset to the first visit was within 1 year for epidermal cyst, keratoacanthoma and granuloma pyogenicum, over 10 years for nevus sebaceous, congenital emangioma and neurofibroma. 7. Diagnostic accuracy was higher in melanocytic nevus, congential hemangioma, nevus sebaceous and neurofibroma and lower in steatocystoma multiplex, dermatofibroma, keratoacanthoma, lipoma and epidermal cyst.