Radiation therapy is often reserved for patients who are unable to tolerate surgery, who have a skin cancer that is difficult to remove, or who have recurrent skin cancers. It is also more common for older patients to receive radiation therapy for skin cancer as secondary cancers have a tendency to develop 10 -15 years after initial treatment.

There are different types of radiation therapy. Xrays, gamma rays, and charged particles (ie: photons) are types of radiation used in cancer treatment.¹ Radiation therapy does not kill cancer cells right away. It takes days or weeks of treatment before cancer cells start to die. Cancer cells continue dying for weeks after radiation therapy ends.

THE PROCEDURE

Radiation treatments are short, painless, and are usually given in many doses over several weeks. Radiation treatments are managed by a radiation oncologist in a hospital or radiation treatment center. A specific treatment plan will be designed for qualified patients based on the type and the location of the skin cancer. 

During the course of radiation treatment, the treated area may become red, dry, and tender like a sunburn. Patients will want to speak to their physician regarding best practices for skin maintenance during this time. A physician may recommend hypoallergenic skin care products and will advise on best practices for sun protection.