Primary resection of cutaneous malignancies of the head and neck

Cutaneous malignancies, which commonly occur in the head and neck, are the most common cancers in the United States, and are composed primarily of the nonmelanoma skin cancers, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Mohs micrographic surgery is often preferred over wide local excision for these nonmelanoma skin cancers of the head and neck. However, wide local excision is still the preferred method of primary resection for specific cutaneous malignancies of the head and neck. The purpose of this article is to describe the indications, preoperative workup, and technique for the primary surgical resection of cutaneous malignancies of the head and neck.