For a simple biopsy a 2mm margin is appropriate.
In relation to SCC, surgical margins of 4 mm are generally recommended for low-risk lesions and 6 mm for high-risk lesions. An adequate surgical margin for BCCs has been widely debated. Cancer Council Australia’s clinical guidelines suggest 2–3 mm surgical margins for low-risk tumours and margins >5 mm for high-risk tumours.
| Table 1. Suggested margins depending on features of the lesion | ||
| Margins for basal cell carcinoma excision | Margins for squamous cell carcinoma excision | |
| Low-risk lesion | 2–3 mm | 4 mm |
| High-risk lesion | >5 mm | 6 mm |