The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has released new clinical guidelines on using radiation therapy to treat basal and cutaneous squamous cell skin cancers.
The guidelines describe when ASTRO believes radiation therapy is most appropriate, either as a standalone therapy or after surgery, for both types of skin cancers. ASTRO suggests dosing and fractionation for these treatments.
ASTRO notes that more than 5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. Over 95% of these cases are basal and cutaneous squamous cell skin cancers.
Surgery to remove lesions is considered the primary approach for these types of cancers, but radiation therapy can play an integral role as either a primary approach or after surgery. Basal and cutaneous squamous cell skin cancers respond well to radiation therapy, unlike melanoma, according to ASTRO.
ASTRO published the guidelines in Practical Radiation Oncology.
