The main indications for brachytherapy are non-melanoma, relatively small skin cancers typically located at areas difficult to treat by surgery ; such as the hands, scalp, ears, and facial areas where cosmesis is of paramount importance.
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The non-melanoma skin cancers include squamous or basal cell cancers measuring 0.5 to 8 cm in size.
The patients selected for these treatments are typically patients with primary or recurrent cancers on the face (any area including the nose, eyelids, cheek, upper lip, lower lip, ear, scalp).
Patients with surgical resection and positive or close margins are also candidates for postoperative brachytherapy.
In the treatment of skin cancers brachytherapy is delivered via contact applicators without surgery or intervention. No need for analgesics or anesthesia.
The 5-year local control with brachytherapy ranges from 85% to 99% depending on the condition treated. Recurrent cancers have a lower control rate than primary tumors.