title: Three-year retrospective review of superficial radiotherapy for skin conditions in a Perth radiotherapy unit.
abstract: Western Australia has only two superficial radiotherapy units, one of which is located at Fremantle Hospital, and run by the radiation oncologists of Perth Radiation Oncology Centre. A 3-year retrospective review was undertaken of all patients who underwent treatment at this unit from 1999 to 2001. Patients were identified from the unit's log book, and data was collected from their files. For malignant skin conditions, 369 lesions were treated in 259 patients over the study period. The patients' median age was 76 years. A wide variety of conditions were treated, but the most common diagnoses were basal cell carcinoma (237 lesions) and squamous cell carcinoma (92 lesions), most commonly located in the head region. The most frequently used treatment schedule was 36 Gy in six fractions over a 3-week period. Where radiotherapy was administered as primary treatment, the diagnoses had been biopsy-proven in only 53% of cases. Fifty-four patients underwent treatment of benign skin disease over the study period; most commonly keloid scars (41 patients) followed by warts (six patients). We conclude that superficial radiotherapy has a distinct role in dermatology, particularly for skin carcinomas around the nose and eyes, which cannot presently be superseded by electron beam therapy.
authors.affiliation: Perth Radiation Oncology Centre, Wembley, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Graham A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Thom
authors.forename: Janelle M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Heywood
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cassidy
authors.forename: Jerry M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Freund
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007627:Keloid / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014904:Western Australia