title: Radiotherapy for dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare indolent cutaneous tumor. In this analysis, we assess the effectiveness of postoperative radiotherapy (RT) in treating patients with DFSP.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1983 to 2011, 14 patients with DFSP were treated with RT at our institution. One patient had gross disease at the time of RT as he did not have a prior resection. The remaining 13 patients were treated with surgery and postoperative RT. Two patients had DFSP with a fibrosarcomatous component (DFSP-FS). External-beam RT was administered in a continuous course to doses ranging from 55.8 to 66.0 Gy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Follow-up ranged from 1.0 to 23.5 years (median, 10.5). Twelve patients (86%) with DFSP remained disease-free after RT; of those, 11 received postoperative RT and 1 received RT alone. One patient with DFSP-FS died with a local recurrence after surgery, external-beam RT, and a brachytherapy boost. Another patient with DFSP-FS died with diffuse metastatic disease to the lung and chest wall after surgery and RT. There were no serious complications from RT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RT may improve local control and reduce the risk of recurrence postoperatively in patients with DFSP.
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL.
authors: Noelle
authors: N
authors: Williams
authors: Christopher G
authors: CG
authors: Morris
authors: Jessica M
authors: JM
authors: Kirwan
authors: Roi
authors: R
authors: Dagan
authors: William M
authors: WM
authors: Mendenhall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D018223:Dermatofibrosarcoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult