Background: In extramammary Paget disease (EMPD), initial margins of surgical excision are difficult to determine preoperatively. Fluorescence diagnosis (FD) may have utility as a noninvasive method for delineating tumor boundaries.
Objective: The relationship between FD-delineated borders and results of multiple scouting biopsies (MSBs) in EMPD was investigated, evaluating the potential clinical role of FD.
Materials and methods: A cohort of 21 patients was studied, looking for consistencies between FD and MSB results. Initial surgical margins were determined by FD or FD plus MSB. All margins were subjected to frozen section analysis.
Results: Paget cells were identified in 88 of 117 (71.8%) biopsies obtained from FD borders. When used preoperatively with MSB in 9 patients, 96.4% of margins proved negative at initial resection stage. Using a 6-mm margin beyond FD borders in another 9 patients, 86.7% of margins were negative at initial stage. The maximum distance of excision beyond FD border was 12 mm.
Conclusion: Fluorescence diagnosis borders (identified visually) correlated well with MSB histopathology. Fluorescence diagnosis is a useful method to delineate initial margins for surgical resection of EMPD.