Mohs surgery OK in seniors aged 90 years or older

(HealthDay)—Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is safe in seniors aged 90 years or older, according to a study published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Amy Delaney, M.D., from the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa., and colleagues assessed patient demographic and clinical characteristics in 214 patients aged 90 years and older who underwent MMS from July 1997 to May 2006. The Charlson index was used to identify comorbid medical conditions.

The researchers found that there were no deaths within one month after surgery and that all patients tolerated the procedure well. Median survival was 36.9 months following surgery. Survival was not affected by tumor characteristics, defect size, number of surgical stages, or closure type. Comorbidities did not significantly affect survival.

"This growing section of the population may safely undergo MMS and should not be relegated to other less effective treatments through fear of affecting their survival," Delaney and colleagues conclude.

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