Electron beam therapy is not inferior to superficial x-ray therapy in the treatment of skin carcinoma
- PMID: 7635774
- DOI: 10.1016/0360-3016(94)00603-I
Electron beam therapy is not inferior to superficial x-ray therapy in the treatment of skin carcinoma
Abstract
Purpose: To compare recurrence rates and cosmetic results after electron beam therapy vs. superficial x-ray therapy for nonmelanoma skin carcinoma.
Methods and materials: A retrospective analysis was performed on 389 histologically confirmed basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin, treated with either superficial x-rays or electron beam therapy, with regard to local control rates and cosmetics, as scored with an arbitrary three-point scale.
Results: The overall local recurrence rate was 4.9% (19 out of 389). For small tumors (irradiated surfaces < or = 10 cm2) a local recurrence rate of 2.2% was observed, both after electron beam therapy and after superficial x-ray therapy. Tumor size and previous treatment proved to be important prognostic factors with regard to control rate. The well-fractionated electron beam therapy yielded better cosmetic results than the large fraction superficial x-ray therapy.
Conclusion: Electron beam treatment is not inferior to superficial x-ray treatment and even better for larger tumors. The inferior results of electron beam therapy reported in literature might be due to technical factors, which are discussed.
Comment in
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Cracking walnuts with sledge hammers--an Australian perspective on Griep et al. IJROBP 32(5):1347-1350; 1995.Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1996 May 1;35(2):419-20. doi: 10.1016/0360-3016(96)86427-3. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1996. PMID: 8635957 No abstract available.
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