Radiotherapy Effective as Second-Line Treatment for CSCC

According to a study published in the Italian Journal of Dermatology and Venereology, radiotherapy (RT) used as a second-line treatment in patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) provides better therapeutic results compared with RT as a primary treatment.

Researchers aimed to evaluate the cure rate of RT for cSCC and compare the results in the two settings of RT as primary or second-line treatment in a retrospective study on 92 cSCC cases treated with RT from 2002 to 2019.

RT was administered as the first-line treatment in 56 cases and as the second-line treatment after incomplete excision or failure of previous treatments in 36 cases. The 5-year cure rate was 71.34% in patients treated with primary RT and 77.37% in patients treated with second-line RT. Better therapeutic results were experienced after second-line RT.

“Our data confirm RT as an effective therapy for cSCC when surgery excision is contraindicated or in case of tumors localized in certain regions where the cosmetic-functional outcome is better than surgery,” concluded the study authors. “Better therapeutic results are achieved with second-line RT,” they added.

Reference
Bortoluzzi P, Brambilla R, Berti E, Marzano AV, Piccinno R. The role of radiotherapy in the management of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective study on 92 cases. Ital J Dermatol Venerol. 2022;10.23736/S2784-8671.22.07286-3. doi:10.23736/S2784-8671.22.07286-3