Radiation Therapy for Benign Disease: Keloids, Macular Degeneration, Orbital Pseudotumor, Pterygium, Peyronie Disease, Trigeminal Neuralgia

Abstract

Although the use of ionizing radiation on malignant conditions has been well established, its application on benign conditions has not been fully accepted and has been inadequately recognized by health care providers outside of radiation therapy. Most frequently, radiation therapy in these benign conditions is used along with other treatment modalities, such as surgery, when the condition causes significant disability or could even lead to death. Radiation therapy can be helpful for inflammatory/proliferative disorders. This article discusses the present use of radiation therapy for some of the most common benign conditions.

Keywords: Benign disease; Keloids; Macular degeneration; Orbital pseudotumor; Peyronie disease; Pterygium; Radiation therapy; Trigeminal neuralgia.