Radiation Oncology Treatments For Skin Cancer
By age 70, one in five Americans are likely to develop skin cancer, the most common cancer in the U.S. There are several types. Skin cancers range from slow growing and easily curable (basal cell and squamous cell) to aggressive types (melanoma and Merkel Cell carcinoma) that can spread quickly if not detected early.
How is radiation therapy effective in the treatment of skin cancer?
Options for treating skin cancer should take into account its location, size, type, stage, side effects and personal feelings about the cosmetic and functional results of treatment. Radiation therapy offers an excellent noninvasive alternative to more invasive surgical treatments that can sometimes cause scarring or wound-healing problems or undesired cosmetic outcomes.
Radiation therapy delivers invisible beams of high energy radiation rays to kill cancer cells. Radiation treatment is quick and painless, with each session lasting five to ten minutes from start to finish. Patients are able to go about their activities of daily living with minimal side effects and no downtime.
How are modern technologies improving the effectiveness of radiation?
Targeted radiation therapy at FCS delivers radiation with high precision to minimize exposure to surrounding healthy tissue or organs. With recent advances in radiation technology and use of specialized computer software, we can plan and deliver targeted radiation more precisely.
By using three-dimensional imaging systems to confirm the exact location of a tumor and carefully positioning the patient immediately before and sometimes during treatment, we can better target the tumor and protect healthy tissue.
With the more advanced technology we can perform the treatment in shorter courses, sometimes in just five to ten treatments. Ultimately, we are seeing better long-term outcomes.
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What are the benefits of receiving radiation therapy in a community-based setting?
Cancer treatment today requires a multidisciplinary approach and involves many different specialties working together to do what is best for each patient. At FCS, we continue to apply the enormous ongoing advancements in science and technology to improve the way we plan and deliver cancer treatments.
Our medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and pharmacists work as a team under one roof with easy access to electronic medical records. These elements make it easier to coordinate and deliver the absolute best treatment for each patient’s unique needs—helping to minimize delays in care and enabling us to achieve the best outcomes for our patients.
What are some exciting new developments in radiation therapy for the treatment of skin cancer?
FCS continues to make critical investments in the newest technologies, which keeps us at the forefront of cancer care delivery. At the FCS Villages Cancer Center, we are fortunate to have state-of-the-art machines that allow us to administer sophisticated types of radiation treatment. With this more advanced technology, we are able to plan and deliver targeted radiation more precisely, leading to improvements in cure rates and cosmetic/functional outcomes for our patients with skin cancer.
How is radiation therapy contributing to better outcomes for skin cancer patients?
The advanced targeted radiation therapy options at FCS are allowing patients to achieve high cure rates with a noninvasive approach that is quick and easy with a short recovery time and minimal disruption of daily living. The cosmetic outcomes with radiation therapy are often more desirable—with little to no scarring or wound-healing issues compared to surgery.
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