Postoperative Inflammatory Complications Do Not Increase the Risk of Subsequent Primary Skin Cancer

OBJECTIVE: – Although there is an established risk for subsequent nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) development at sites unrelated to the initial cancer, it is unknown whether postoperative inflammatory complications (IC) augment this risk after Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) or excisions. This study aims to evaluate the 3-year risk of NMSC in patients with post-surgical IC. METHODS: – Using the TriNetX Research Network, patients were identified focusing on patients who experienced IC within 1 month of MMS or excision for basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCIS). The calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and absolute risk differences (ARDs) were compared with the previously reported 3-year risks of subsequent NMSC (44% for BCC and 18% for SCC/SCCIS). RESULTS: – The hazard ratio for SCC/SCCIS in patients with postoperative IC was statistically significant (HR: 1.08, 95% CI: [1.04, 1.12]; ARD: 2.43%, 95% CI: [1.23, 3.65]) but did not exceed the 18% 3-year risk benchmark and was not considered clinically significant. Inflammatory complications were protective against BCC development (HR: 0.93, 95% CI: [0.90, 0.97]; ARD: −1.68%, 95% CI: [−2.87, −0.51]). CONCLUSIONS: – These findings suggest postoperative ICs do not increase the 3-year risk of NMSC development.