Abstract
BACKGROUND: Reconstructive surgery remains the primary approach for treating facial skin cancer, aiming to restore both anatomy and aesthetics. Local flaps are commonly preferred for facial reconstruction.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and subclinical characteristics of facial skin cancer and evaluate treatment outcomes using local flaps.
METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study with clinical intervention, without a control group, was conducted on 84 patients diagnosed with facial skin cancer and treated at Can Tho City Oncology Hospital from May 2021 to April 2023.
RESULTS: Outcomes were assessed during hospitalization and 6 months postoperatively. Among the 84 patients, 68 had basal cell carcinoma, and 16 had squamous cell carcinoma. The nose was the most frequently treated site, accounting for 43 cases. Lesions smaller than 2 cm comprised 70.2% of cases. After 6 months, 65 out of 84 flap sites (77.4%) exhibited minimal scarring that could be concealed, with an aesthetic success rate of 73.8%.
CONCLUSIONS: Key factors influencing surgical outcomes include the surgeon's experience, lesion location and size, tumor invasion extent, and skin elasticity.