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Safety


Safety of brachytherapy for skin cancer

Skin cancer treatment with excellent cosmesis and minimal risk of complications.

High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy offers excellent patient outcomes for skin cancer, with minimal risk of complications.

The procedure is painless (performed under local anesthetic), can be performed on an outpatient basis and patients are able to return home soon after the treatment.


Treatment-related side effects

Acute side-effects:

  • Immediately after delivery of brachytherapy, mild erythema (redness/rash) may appear on the skin, but this usually disappears within a week.1
  • There is a small risk of skin ulceration (≈10%) within the first few weeks following treatment, which heals over time.2
  • Treatment of large lesions may cause the legion to bleed for a few days after treatment until a scab forms.1 

Long-term side effects:

  • For almost all patients, excellent or good cosmesis can be achieved with no long-term scarring.1,2
  • There is only a very minimal risk of associated long-term complications.1-3

Read more on how the side effects of brachytherapy compare to other treatment options.


References
  1. Sedda AF, Rossi G, Cipriani C, et al. Clin Exp Dermatol 2008;33(6):745–9.
  2. Guix B, Finestres F, Tello J, et al. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2000;47(1):95–102.
  3. Rio E, Bardet E, Ferron C, et al. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2005;63(3):753–57.
Page last updated on 14 January 2011.

Brachytherapy

and skin cancer

 

Cancer types



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