Mohs Micrographic Surgery for Melanoma (printer-friendly)

Mohs chemosurgery, using the fixed-tissue technique, was proposed for the treatment of melanoma by Frederic Mohs in 1950.[1] In numerous publications since, Mohs reported cure rates at least comparable to those obtained with the conventional surgical therapies of the time. Initially, Mohs believed that the in situ tissue fixation with zinc chloride paste inherent in the fixed-tissue technique was an important element in limiting the possibility of tumor spread during the procedure. He later advocated the use of the fresh-tissue technique for periorbital melanomas involving the lid margins or conjunctiva to avoid the local destruction associated with the use of the chemical fixative.[2] As evidence mounted that incising a melanoma did not contribute to its spread, and as the fresh-tissue technique became widely accepted for nonmelanoma skin cancer, the use of the fresh-tissue technique of Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS) began to be reported.[3]