Patients' recall of visible skin biopsy sites

Fifty-one patients from an outpatient dermatology clinic at a tertiary care medical center were evaluated for recall of visible skin biopsy site(s) for suspected skin cancer(s). Of the study participants, 31.4% were unable to accurately identify their skin biopsy site(s). Patients who did not have actinic keratoses treated with liquid nitrogen cryotherapy at the time of skin biopsy (p = 0.003) and those who were seen for clinical follow-up within 19 days of their diagnostic procedure(s) (p = 0.004) were significantly more likely to correctly identify the biopsy site(s).