Radiotherapy for non-melanoma skin cancer in 21st century

Abstract

Abstract text The incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is rapidly rising worldwide. Although mortality from NMSC is generally low, the total cost of treatment is becoming a considerable burden for health care services across the world due to the number of patients, aging population and increased complexity of cases which often require a specialist multidisciplinary approach. Radiotherapy has been used in NMSC for more than a century, in radical primary and nodal disease, in postoperative cases as well as in palliative settings. Recently there has been an increased interest in the use of skin radiotherapy in NMSC, not only in view of increased incidence and aging population but also due to an advantage that radiotherapy can offer to NMSC patients for organ and function preservation, particularly in cosmetically and functionally sensitive areas such as facial locations. In her talk Dr Agata Rembielak will discuss the current status and future perspectives of skin radiotherapy in 21st century.