Preoperative Ultrasound-Guided Incisional Biopsy Enhances the Pathological Accuracy of Incisional Biopsy of Cutaneous Melanoma: A Prospective Clinical Trial in Chinese Patients

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of preoperative ultrasound (US)-guided incisional biopsy through a prospective controlled clinical trial.

Methods: This was a prospective, double-arm, single-center study of Chinese patients. Thirty patients were enrolled in the study. Fourteen patients received incisional biopsies for which the choice of biopsy area relied on a clinical evaluation, and 16 patients received incisional biopsies for which the choice of biopsy area relied on a US-guided evaluation. The following procedure was used in the US-guided incisional biopsy group: 1) clinical and dermoscopic evaluation of skin lesions; 2) US examination; 3) incisional biopsy; 4) surgical excision; and 5) histopathological examination. The same procedure was used in the non-US-guided group except without US examination.

Results: In the non-US-guided group, the mean tumor thicknesses obtained from incisional biopsy and postoperative histopathological examination were 2.1 and 4.1 mm, respectively. Seven melanomas were underestimated by incisional biopsy, resulting in margins narrower than currently recommended. In the US-guided group, the mean tumor thicknesses obtained from US, incisional biopsy, and postoperative histopathological examination were 3.4, 2.9, and 2.7 mm, respectively. In only 3 melanomas was the tumor thickness of the incisional biopsy less than that of the postoperative histopathological examination, demonstrating that US-guided biopsy obtains the maximum thickness area.

Conclusions: Preoperative US-guided incisional biopsy can enhance the pathological accuracy of incisional biopsy, which may allow us to better perform surgical excision with safe peripheral surgical margins.