Bone resection for facial cutaneous malignancies.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent bone resection for cutaneous malignancy of the face and scalp.

METHODS: We retrospectively collected patient data from 62 patients who underwent bone resection for craniofacial cutaneous malignancy of the face and scalp over the last 10 years. We investigated risk factors for disease progression and assessed the utility of pre-operative imaging to predict bone, dura, and brain infiltration.

RESULTS: Out of all factors analyzed, brain invasion, surgical margin involvement, and dural margin involvement were found to significantly reduce survival. CT and MRI correctly predicted bone infiltration in 88% and 89% of cases. MRI correctly predicted dura invasion in 89% but grossly underestimated the amount of dural invasion in 23% of reports.

CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that the resection of bone is a reasonable surgical option in the treatment of patients with advanced cutaneous malignancies of the face and scalp. Brain invasion and positive margins reduced the probability of survival.