Differences in treatment of Spitz nevi and atypical Spitz tumors in pediatric patients among dermatologists and plastic surgeons

摘要

No clear consensus exists for the management of Spitz nevi (SNs) or atypical Spitz tumors (ASTs), particularly in the pe-diatric population. Some dermatologists recommend the removal of all suspected Spitz tumors in children, whereas others perform partial biopsy or monitor clinically. Methods | We designed a 10-question survey that was sent to plastic surgeons and dermatologists practicing in the United States (eAppendix in Supplement). The online questionnaire was distributed to 1144 physicians (578 dermatologists and 566 plastic surgeons). Among the 230 physicians who completed the survey, 136 were dermatologists (59%), and 94 were plastic surgeons (41%). This study was approved by the Washington University (St Louis, Missouri) institutional review board. A 2-sided Z test for comparison of 2 proportions was used to compare responses. Data were collected from July 2010 to February 2011.