Dermoscopy-guided cuts reduce incomplete removal of skin cancer lesions

Skin cancer surgery aims to remove the tumor completely without damaging healthy tissue. But sometimes surgeons miss a few cells, leaving the disease behind. A new analysis looked at 1151 patients who had keratinocyte cancer. These patients had either 1186 lesions removed with standard surgery or with dermoscopy guidance. Dermoscopy lets doctors see the skin surface clearly before cutting. The results showed that using this visual guide reduced the rate of incomplete excision. In plain terms, fewer cancer cells were left behind when doctors used the dermoscopy tool. The data showed a strong reduction in incomplete removal across the group. This matters because leaving cells behind can lead to the cancer returning or needing more surgery. The study also looked at surgical precision and margin control. Both improved when dermoscopy was used. However, the researchers noted that all the studies were observational. This means they watched what happened without controlling every detail. There was a moderate risk of bias in the data. The evidence for squamous cell carcinoma specifically was limited. Because of these methodological constraints, the findings are not yet definitive. We need more high-quality trials to confirm how useful this tool is. Until then, this approach shows promise for improving surgical outcomes.