Skin Cancer Treatments
Jupiter Medical Center offers the latest innovation in skin cancer treatment
– Superficial Electron Beam Radiotherapy and surface brachytherapy,
non-surgical alternatives to treat localized non-melanoma skin cancers
– both basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas.
This Medicare-approved therapy is particularly suited for cancers found
on the face, including the nose, ears, and eyelids. Superficial Electron
Beam Radiotherapy uses precisely-targeted radiation therapy to destroy
skin cancers while maintaining excellent cosmetic results.
How Does Radiotherapy Work?
Technologically-advanced radiation therapy precisely targets skin cancer
cells, sparing normal tissues beneath the surface. A small dose of radiation
is delivered daily and destroys thousands of cancer cells by attacking
their DNA. Each night, your own skin cells repair the radiation effects
and regenerate. Normal skin will become red and inflamed by the end of
treatment, much like a sunburn. Once healed, it is often difficult to
detect where the treatment was delivered. Fortunately, cancer cells do
not have the ability to recover from radiation effects as well as normal
healthy tissues.
Superficial Electron Beam Radiotherapy is a good option for those facing
possible cosmetic alterations from surgery, or those for whom surgery
could pose a health risk. Long-term studies have demonstrated the success
of treating both small and large skin cancers with radiotherapy.
Surface brachytherapy offers a non-invasive treatment option for smaller
non-melanoma skin cancers which can typically be performed in fewer fractions
that superficial electron beam radiation with excellent outcomes. Our
dedicated and experienced team delivers targeted electron beam radiation
therapy to destroy cancer cells while shielding normal tissue. Each painless
treatment takes only minutes, requires no anesthesia or cutting, and no downtime.
If you have been diagnosed with skin cancer, be sure discuss all of your
treatment options with your doctor, or call Jupiter Medical Center’s
Radiation Oncology Department to learn more about Superficial Electron
Beam Radiotherapy or surface brachytherapy for skin cancer.
Treatment Options
Skin cancer is one of the easiest cancers to treat because it can often
be found early and removed completely through surgery. After your initial
evaluation, our team will determine whether or not surgery is the most
effective option for treating your cancer. If your cancer has not yet
had a chance to spread, then we have a chance to destroy while it is working
its way through the outer layer of skin.
- Skin cancer is typically treated with one, or a combination of the following:
- Radiation
- Surgery
- Cryosurgery (freezing and destroying cancer cells)
- Medication
- Clinical trial treatments
While this can be an overwhelming experience, our team will guide you through
each step of the treatment process. We will make you understand your condition
and how we can fight it. Learning about cancer and the treatment options
is often a great source of relief to patients, who no longer feel like
they are engaged in a battle with an unknown, seemingly unstoppable enemy.
Although skin cancer can often be treated and cured early, it is important
to remain vigilant. Once you develop skin cancer, you are at a higher
risk of developing it again. Be sure to perform regular self-examinations
in case it manifests somewhere else on the skin.