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How do you treat multi-focal/diffuse non-melanomatous skin cancers of the face and scalp for which you would also want to cover high-risk elective nodes?

Would you treat large/total scalp fields to definitive skin cancer doses? If the patient has a more limited KPS, would you treat sequentially in order of priority for the most high risk lesions (and perhaps forego covering nodes)?
2 Answers
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Mednet Member
Radiation Oncology · University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
Answered on

Skin cancer in elderly individuals is frequently multifocal and episodic in its occurrence. The cancer inducing damage to the skin took place over an extended period of time many years prior to the development of these lesions. The appearance of new skin lesions is often episodic with one or more le...

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Radiation Oncology · UTMB
Answered on

It is technically feasible (although morbid) to perform entire scalp RT to definitive doses.

One such reference: A case study of radiotherapy planning for Intensity Modulation Radiation Therapy for the whole scalp with matching electron treatment.

Scalp/facial lesions that arise in (or cross over) the...

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