Surgery isn't the only option for patients.
An estimated one in five people will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. The most common types, basal and squamous cell, affect more than 3 million Americans per year, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Unfortunately, having a skin cancer removed surgically is not only painful but also potentially disfiguring—especially if the lesion is on the nose, eyelids, ear, forehead or other part of the face. In addition, certain medications, such as blood thinners, may need to be temporarily stopped prior to surgery.
Fortunately, there’s an alternative: brachytherapy, in which radiation is used to eliminate basal and squamous cell skin cancers. “The cosmetic outcome is excellent,” says Mitchell F. Weiss, MD, Chairman of Radiation Oncology at Monmouth Medical Center (MMC) and a member of Barnabas Health Medical Group. In addition, the skin cancer cure rate is comparable to surgery (92 to 94 percent for brachytherapy versus 94 to 96 percent for surgery).
To be eligible for brachytherapy, a patient must have a nonmelanoma skin cancer (basal or squamous cell). In addition, the lesion must be small, flat and fairly superficial (no more than 3 millimeters deep), says Dr. Weiss.
A simple but effective treatment
Patients typically receive six treatments (two days per week for three weeks in a row). Each treatment takes less than 10 minutes. The patient is given small eye shields, and a round, flat applicator the size of a quarter is placed on the lesion(s). The applicator is connected to a machine that contains a radioactive seed. The seed is delivered to the applicator, where it emits radiation for a few minutes, then is returned to the machine.
“The applicator is lead-lined, so it shields nearby tissue from the radiation,” says Sang E. Sim, MD, a radiation oncologist at MMC. “The seed only emits radiation toward a very small area of the skin.” A typical side effect is skin redness (similar to a sunburn), which disappears a few weeks after the radiation treatments are complete.
“Patients are thrilled with the results,” says Dr. Sim. “No one knows they were ever treated for skin cancer.”
RWJBarnabas Health and Monmouth Medical Center, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey—the state’s only NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center—provide close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials. For more information, call 844.CANCERNJ.
Protect your skin
Follow these simple strategies to steer clear of sunburn, which increases the risk of developing skin cancer.
• Apply a water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 30 or higher. The higher the SPF, the better. Also, choose a “broad spectrum” product, which blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Use about one ounce (the amount that would fill a shot glass) and be sure to reapply every two hours (sooner if you’re sweating or swimming).
• Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the rays are strongest.
• Cover up by wearing a hat, a long sleeved shirt, pants and sunglasses.
To learn more about brachytherapy for skin cancer or to make an appointment, call: 732-923-6890