Skin Cancer Treatments
About Electronic Skin Brachytherapy
WHO IS SUITED FOR ELECTRONIC BRACHYTHERAPY (EBX)?
With a number of excellent options, patients can choose according to their individual preferences for treatment. Considerations include comfort, pain, treatment time, effectiveness, and appearance post treatment.
Electronic Brachytherapy may be the treatment of choice when:
Looking for a painless, nonsurgical therapy
Scarring needs to be minimal as the tumor is in a visible area (face or nose)
The tumor is in an uncomfortable position (shin)
Surgery is not advised due to a health condition or medication (blood thinners)
It is vital to preserve the structure and use of the area being treated (hand or ear)
The margins are positive after initial surgical excision
Radiation Treatment Options for NMSC
TRADITIONAL
External Beam Radiotherapy (EBRT) uses low-dose x-rays or electrons accurately directed to the area of the tumor within a specialized treatment facility. It is used for the vast majority of cancer types and is delivered daily over several weeks.
HDR Brachytherapy works via a precise, radioactive seed that delivers high dose radiation within specialized catheters to a targeted area within a shielded room. It is also commonly used for breast, lung, prostate and gynecologic cancers.
INNOVATIVE
Electronic Brachytherapy (Ebx) is a highly focused therapy that uses low-energy x-rays without using a radioactive isotope. The treatment thus maximally spares healthy tissues and can be delivered safely and conveniently in an unshielded room.
The Ebx Procedure: The simple outpatient treatment takes place 2-3 times per week. The number of sessions required will vary based on the tumor size, depth, and location. An individualized treatment plan with custom shielding is developed for each patient. During treatment, a small surface applicator is applied to the skin thru which radiation is delivered for just a few minutes. The therapy is non-invasive and painless.
The patients are able to drive themselves home and immediately return to normal activities. As a superficial skin treatment localized to the skin cancer, there is no radiation exposure to other areas of your body or to anyone else.
A radiation therapist and physicist work under the direct supervision of a physician who specializes in radiation treatment of skin cancer.
Proven effective:
Cure rates are similar to surgery and EBRT; most people receiving brachytherapy remain cancer-free.
Painless Procedure:
Pain-free, knife-free and needle-free, no anesthesia or sedation is needed.
Minimal or no scarring:
Outstanding appearance of treatment site.
Minimal loss of use:
Little or no healthy tissue affected so loss of use is minimal compared to surgery.
Minimal side effects:
Accurate delivery of radiation directly to tumor reduces the risk of side effects.
Convenience of short treatment:
Brachytherapy is often given over a few days compared to weeks of EBRT and unlike surgery, no recovery time is needed.
State-of-the-art therapy:
Established therapy; continued technological advances providing even more effective treatment.
State of the Art
Advances in treatment planning and applicator design facilitate even greater precision in dose delivery and minimizes harmful radiation to surrounding healthy tissues.
Excellent efficacy, cosmetic and functional outcomes, combined with reduced risk of side effects, short outpatient treatment times and improved quality of life indicate that brachytherapy is a patient-centered treatment choice. The shorter treatment duration of surface brachytherapy also lowers the total treatment costs.