Dr. Alshaygy on Resection Margin for Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans

Ibrahim S. Alshaygy, MD, MSC, a clinical fellow in Orthopedic Oncology at Mount Sinai Hospital, discusses research suggesting a smaller surgical resection margin for dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP).

DFSP is an uncommon continuous tumor with a high local recurrence rate, explains Alshaygy. The current standard of care is to remove the tumor with a wide margin resection, but recent research shows that a negative margin can be achieved with smaller resections. Alshaygy and his research team also developed a new follow-up protocol depending on the pathological classification and grading for the tumor.

This research is expected to have a significant impact on the standard practice for this tumor type, according to Alshaygy. Currently, surgeons tend to go for a bigger and wider margin, but Alshaygy suggests a smaller incision. As long as a negative margin is achieved, enough tissue has been removed, which can lead to fewer adverse events, better cosmesis, and better functional outcomes for the patient, says Alshaygy. Additionally, the new follow-up protocol can impact the clinic follow-up and patient follow-up regimen, which saves physicians and patients time in the clinic, concludes Alshaygy.