The important role of radiotherapy in patients with non-melanoma skin cancer and other cutaneous entities.
Non-melanoma skin cancer is the commonest malignancy worldwide and a significant public health issue. Although most non-melanoma skin cancers are small and easily excised or ablated, a recommendation of definitive radiotherapy is often made in patients where the outcome (cosmetic and/or functional) will probably be better with radiotherapy compared to surgery. The aim of adjuvant radiotherapy is to reduce the risk of loco-regional recurrence and the role of palliative radiotherapy is important in improving the quality of life in patients with advanced and/or incurable disease. The aim of this review article is to broadly discuss the various clinical settings in which a recommendation of radiotherapy may be made and also includes a discussion on less frequently encountered cutaneous entities (e.g. in situ squamous cell carcinoma, keratocanthoma, lentigo maligna, cutaneous lymphomas and malignant fibrous tumours).
Veness
M J
MJ
Department of Radiation Oncology, Westmead Cancer Care Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. michael.veness@swahs.health.nsw.gov.au
D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000532:radiotherapy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome