Radiation Therapy for Carcinoma of the Skin of the Face and Neck

Abstract

APPROXIMATELY 300,000 new cases of carcinomas of the skin are diagnosed each year in the United States. 1 The great majority of these lesions are on the skin of the face and neck. The proximity of these neoplasms to important structures such as the eyes, nose, and ears has prompted this discussion of the role of radiation therapy in their management. Most carcinomas of the skin of the nose and eyelids are basal cell carcinomas, while most tumors arising on the pinna are squamous cell carcinomas. Despite the fact that cutaneous carcinomas of the face and neck are essentially totally curable, hundreds of patients in the United States annually die or become horribly disfigured through neglect or improper treatment. Radiotherapy of cutaneous carcinomas can be rewarding when the proper care and expertise are applied. The radiation therapist is afforded an unusual opportunity to deal with a highly curable malignant neoplasm,