Skin Cancer Can Be Cured Without Surgery
Image-Guided Superficial Radiotherapy (SRT) is a non-surgical option for treating basal and squamous cell skin cancers. Previously, Mohs surgery was the typical treatment for skin cancer, but Image-Guided SRT offers a way to cure the condition with no surgery, no downtime, and no pain!
What is SRT?
Image-Guided (SRT) is a non-invasive treatment used to destroy skin cancer cells by using low levels of X-ray energy, similar to what dentists use for X-rays. Unlike traditional SRT, Image-Guided SRT utilizes ultrasound images to accurately target the cancerous area and monitor the progress of the treatment.Â
What is treatment like?
Superficial Radiation Therapy (SRT) is a relatively quick, painless process. It is administered by a highly trained and experienced radiation specialist and typically involves 3 to 5 sessions a week for several weeks.
Each session takes about 15 minutes and requires no downtime for post-treatment recovery. This means you can get right back to your everyday life as soon as you leave our office.
Is SRT right for me?
Determining if SRT is the right treatment for you requires careful consideration. While the idea of a pain-free, non-surgical skin cancer treatment is appealing, it's important to prioritize effectiveness and your long-term recovery.Â
SRT is only recommended for non-melanoma skin cancers in the early stages of development. This is because later stages of skin cancer and melanoma skin cancers may spread to deeper layers of tissues where radiation therapy may be less effective. As a skin cancer treatment expert, Dr. Nita Patel can evaluate your specific case and provide insight to the best course of care for you.
SRT may be the proper skin cancer treatment if you have non-melanoma skin cancer, and:
- Fear surgery
- Have other health conditions that make surgery riskier
- Need to treat multiple skin cancers
- Wish to avoid the side effects of surgery such as bleeding, scarring, and pain
- Want to preserve the appearance of your skin after treatment
- Want to track the progress of the treatment through visible shrinkage of cancer
What are the side effects?
Common side effects of Image-Guided SRT may include skin irritation, redness, thinning, and a higher risk of infection, while rare side effects may include skin ulcers.
What is recovery like?
There is no bleeding, wounds, or scarring, so you can continue your normal daily activities
during and after treatments.
Is SRT covered by insurance?
Image-Guided SRT is usually covered by insurance, including Medicare. Contact us for more information on accepted insurance.
