title: Orthovoltage radiotherapy for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC): Comparison between 2 different schedules.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radiotherapy is an established treatment for some types of patients with nonmelanoma skin cancer. A hypofractionated schedule has been proposed as a valuable option for elderly disabled patients to minimize the number of hospital visits.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to compare a weekly hypofractionated orthovoltage radiotherapy regimen with a standard daily one for the treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study was performed on 436 tumors. Overall survival, disease-free survival, and cosmetic outcome were measured. Life-table analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and multivariate Cox regression model were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The hypofractionated regimen was not associated with increased recurrence rates and mortality, or with a poorer cosmetic outcome, when compared with the daily schedule.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Absence of complete information about acute treatment toxicity and a shorter follow-up time for patients receiving the weekly schedule are limitations of this study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A weekly hypofractionated regimen of orthovoltage radiotherapy seems to be the most appropriate approach in elderly disabled patients with nonmelanoma skin cancers.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Unit "Daniele Innocenzi" Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Polo Pontino, Terracina, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pampena
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.affiliation: Skin Cancer Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Athanassios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kyrgidis
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Dafne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ramundo
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iotti
authors.affiliation: Skin Cancer Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Aimilios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lallas
authors.affiliation: Skin Cancer Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moscarella
authors.affiliation: Skin Cancer Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borsari
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Unit, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Argenziano
authors.affiliation: Skin Cancer Unit, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy. Electronic address: longo.caterina@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Longo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000209:etiology; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: basal cell carcinoma; keratinocyte carcinoma; radiotherapy; skin cancer; squamous cell carcinoma; therapy