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Introduction

CHAPTER 32 Histopathology for Mohs

Micrographic Surgery

Teo Soleymani Sumaira Z. Aasi

SUMMARY

The Mohs surgeon must become expert at interpreting tangential sections and

distinguishing normal structures from tumor.

This may be challenging in certain situations depending on slide quality, section

quality, and tumor subtype.

Beginner Tips

An experienced technician is vital in the preparation of high-quality slides for

evaluation.

Aggregates of BCC may be distinguished from adnexal structures by peripheral

palisading and retraction artifact.

Examining multiple step sections may be helpful.

Look closely at lymphocytic aggregates, as they often surround tumor nests.

Expert Tips

Histopathologic interpretation of certain tumor subtypes, such as infiltrative BCC, may

be challenging.

These tumors should be differentiated from syringomas, desmoplastic

trichoepitheliomas, and microcystic adnexal carcinomas.

Donโ€™t Forget!

The differential diagnosis for SCCIS (and occasionally SCC) includes actinic

keratosis, extramammary Pagetโ€™s disease, inflamed seborrheic keratosis, verruca, pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia, and normal tangential sectioning of the epidermis.

With moderate-to-poorly differentiated SCCs, perineural invasion is of concern.

Pitfalls and Cautions

SCC may appear as single-cell infiltrates, which can be difficult to distinguish on

frozen sections without the aid of immunohistochemical stains.

There may be areas of focal necrosis, and often there is a prominent inflammatory

lymphocytic (or lymphohistiocytic) infiltrate surrounding the malignant cells.

Patient Education Points

Mohs surgery is unique in that one physician acts as both surgeon and pathologist.

Educating patients regarding the complexity of the process, and the logistics behind

tissue processing, may ameliorate stress regarding wait times between stages.

Billing Pearls

If a lesion is biopsied for the first time on the day of Mohs surgery and a frozen section

interpretation is made on the tissue, CPT code 88331 should be utilized with modifier 59.

Billing for immunohistochemical stains is in addition to standard Mohs layer billing,

and is generally billed on a per-specimen basis with code 88342 for the first antibody

followed by 88341 for each additional antibody. If multiple separately identifiable antibodies are applied to the slide, use one unit of 88344.

CHAPTER 32 Histopathology for Mohs