Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Treated with Electronic Brachytherapy: Results at 1 Year
January 2013
in “
Brachytherapy
”
Studysummary This study found that high-dose-rate electronic brachytherapy was effective for treating nonmelanoma skin cancer, with no recurrences and good to excellent cosmetic results at 1 year or more.
Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
The study evaluated the effectiveness of high-dose-rate (HDR) electronic brachytherapy (EBT) for treating nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in 122 patients with 171 lesions. Patients received 40 Gy in eight fractions over a period from July 2009 to April 2012. At a mean follow-up of 10 months, no recurrences were observed. One-year follow-up data for 46 lesions in 42 patients showed minimal late toxicities, including hypopigmentation (10.9%), dry desquamation (2.2%), alopecia (2.2%), and rash dermatitis (6.5%). Cosmesis was rated as excellent in 92.9% and good in 7.1% of cases. The study concluded that HDR EBT is an effective, non-surgical treatment option for NMSC with good cosmetic outcomes and acceptable toxicity levels.
