Radiotherapy for skin cancer
This page is about radiotherapy for skin cancer. There is information about
Radiotherapy for skin cancer
Radiotherapy uses high energy rays to kill cancer cells. It can be used to treat skin cancers that cover a large area, or are in areas of the body that are difficult to operate on or where the cosmetic result may be poor. It can also be used in people who are not fit enough for surgery. Radiotherapy may be given after surgery, to lower the risk of the cancer coming back. Or to treat skin cancers that have spread.
Having treatment
The treatment is usually given once a day from Monday to Friday with a rest over the weekend. It can be given as a single treatment, or as a course of five treatments a week over a number of weeks.
The actual treatment only takes a few minutes. Radiotherapy does not hurt. You will not be able to feel it. Radiotherapy does not make you radioactive. It is perfectly safe to be with other people, including children, throughout your course.
Side effects
Radiotherapy just to the skin does not have very many side effects. The skin may become slightly red and sore during the treatment period. It may become crusty and scab over at first. But when the scab falls off, there will be healthy skin underneath. If radiotherapy is given to a part of the body that has hair, you will have some hair loss. The hair will start to grow back some time after treatment has finished – this can be up to a year. The re-growth may be patchy.
Radiotherapy uses high energy rays to kill cancer cells. Radiotherapy can be used to treat basal cell or squamous cell cancers. It can be used to treat skin cancers
- That cover a large area
- In areas of the body that are difficult to operate on or where the cosmetic result may be poor
- In people who do not want surgery
- In people who are not fit for general anaesthetic
Radiotherapy can also be given as an adjuvant treatment. This means after surgery, to try to lower the risk of the cancer coming back.
Sometimes, radiotherapy may be used to treat cancers that have spread to the lymph nodes or elsewhere in the body. It may be used to treat a skin cancer that has spread to the lung for example.
The radiotherapy treatment is given in the hospital radiotherapy department. The treatment is usually given once a day from Monday to Friday with a rest over the weekend. It can be given as a single treatment. Or as a course of five treatments a week for a number of weeks. Radiotherapy for skin cancer is often given over about a fortnight.
Radiotherapy has to be carefully planned. This usually takes longer than the actual treatment, which only takes a few minutes. CT scans and X-rays may be used to pinpoint the exact position of the cancer. This area will be marked on your skin using ink. The ink marks will be used to line up the machine each time you are treated. You will not be able to wash these marks off until the treatment course has ended.
If your skin cancer is very near a delicate area, such as the eye, nose or lip, your planning will include having small lead shields made to protect your eye or teeth from the radiation. These will only be put in place when you are actually being treated.
The actual treatment only takes a few minutes. The radiographer will position you on the couch and make sure you are comfortable. You will be left alone while you have your treatment, but the radiographer will be able to hear you.
Radiotherapy does not hurt. You will not be able to feel it. But you will have to lie very still for a few minutes during the treatment.
Radiotherapy does not make you radioactive. It is perfectly safe to be with other people, including children, throughout your course.
Radiotherapy just to the skin does not have very many side effects. The skin may become slightly red and sore - like a mild to moderate sunburn, during the treatment period. This will begin to disappear once the treatment is over. It may become crusty and scab over at first. But when the scab falls off, there will be healthy skin underneath. If radiotherapy is given to a part of the body that has hair, you will have some hair loss. The hair will start to grow back some time after treatment has finished - this can be up to a year, depending on how much treatment you had. The re-growth may be patchy.
There is more information in the main radiotherapy section in CancerHelp UK. It will tell you more about this type of treatment including
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