ABSTRACT
Ionizing radiation has been used to treat skin cancers for more than 100 years. Despite advances in surgical and other treatment modalities, radiotherapy still has an important role in the management of skin tumours. Low-dose radiation may trigger development of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, as historically seen following treatment for ringworm of the scalp and ankylosing spondylitis. However, higher doses of radiation can effectively cure these and other skin tumours. Occasionally a single fraction may be prescribed to treat a very small tumour. In general, the greater the number of fractions, the better the long-term cosmetic result. Higher-energy radiotherapy is used to treat thicker skin cancers, and the radiation penetrates more deeply. Patients undergoing superficial radiotherapy for skin cancer do not experience pain or systemic effects as they may do with treatment of internal cancers. Most treatment sites are healed within 6 weeks of the start of radiotherapy.
