title: Role of radiation therapy in cutaneous melanoma.
abstract: Cutaneous melanoma is a disease that often has an aggressive and unpredictable course. It was historically thought to be a radioresistant neoplasm; however, substantial radiobiologic and clinical evidence has emerged to refute this notion. Improved local control has been demonstrated with the use of adjuvant radiation therapy delivered to the primary site or regional lymphatics in patients with high-risk clinical or pathologic features. Despite improved local control, high-risk cutaneous melanoma often spreads systemically, leading to poor survival. In the setting of systemic progression, radiation therapy can frequently palliate symptomatic sites of metastatic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
authors.forename: Jaime H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shuff
authors.forename: Malika L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Siker
authors.forename: Mackenzie D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Schultz
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary; D010166:Palliative Care; D011832:Radiation Injuries; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins