Abstract

PASQUALI, Paola; TRUJILLO, Benjamín  and  INSTITUTO ONCOLOGICO “LUIS RAZETTI”, CARACAS, VENEZUELA. Manejo crioquirúrgico del cáncer de piel: curativo y paliativo. Gac Méd Caracas [online]. 2007, vol.115, n.2, pp.138-143. ISSN 0367-4762.

Skin cancer is the most common malignancy. Venezuela does not have proper statistical figures on the subject; however, its distribution among the most frequent skin malignancies-basal and squamous cell carcinomas, malignant melanomas- is similar to the one in northern hemisphere countries. Cryosurgery stands among the different surgical options, being our center pioneer worldwide in the use of it. Applying it as palliation in large, disfiguring, recurrent or metastatic tumors opens an additional alternative in patients where options are scarse.

Keywords : Skin Cancer; Cryosurgery; Basal cell; Squamous cell carcinoma; Palliative treatment.