With skin cancer being the most common type of cancer in the USA the need for an effective and versatile treatment method is a necessity for many skin cancer centers. The Xstrahl 100 is perfectly suited for the treatment of superficial skin cancers, as used by the SCARS center in California.
SCARS Center & Dr Madorsky
The Skin Cancer and Reconstructive Surgery Center (SCARS Center) aims to prevent skin damage, maintain daily skin health, and restore the appearance of their patients before, during, and after skin cancer treatment. Founded by Dr Madorsky, the SCARS Center is a unique multidisciplinary facility offering its patients access to such skin cancer treatments modalities as Mohs surgery, photodynamic therapy, cryotherapy and superficial radiotherapy (SRT) to enable them to achieve this.
As the medical director of the center, Dr Madorsky strongly believes in the benefit of offering his patients various minimally invasive cures for skin cancer. To do this, the center invested in an Xstrahl 100 X-ray radiotherapy system. Unlike more invasive treatment options, the Xstrahl’s unique design allows for a highly effective treatment with little cosmetic changes.
So far, just over 100 patients have been treated in the center and each year there is a consistent volume of new patients, with a success rate of the SRT treatment at 99%.
Superficial Skin Cancers
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, each year in the U.S. over 5.4 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are treated in more than 3.3 million patients. There are now more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime [i]. Basal cell carcinomas, the most common type of skin cancer, occurs in more than 4 million cases each year.[ii] Given these statistics, it is very important to make sure skin cancer is being effectively treated.
There are many ways to treat superficial skin cancers with surgery as the standard of care in the management of the condition. However, surgery can cause unsightly scaring, and is not the only way to treat skin cancer.
Superficial Radiotherapy Treatment (SRT) is a low energy radiotherapy that goes no deeper than the thickness of the skin. It is a highly effective, painless, and cosmetically attractive alternative to surgery for some skin cancers and is a non-surgical alternative to Mohs surgery and to topical chemotherapeutic treatment. Best used for squamous cell carcinomas, basal cell carcinomas, and other non-melanoma skin malignancies, it can also be used for treatment of scarring of the skin such as keloids. Just as important as its success, the SRT treatment costs less than surgery and is covered by most insurance companies.
“SRT achieves excellent cosmetic outcomes of treatment. Some results can even stand up to some of my most sophisticated reconstructions”.
Dr Madorsky
Treatment
The treatment is absolutely painless and safe. Each session lasts approximately 3 minutes, with the usual prescribed course being 10 to 15 fractions delivered over 3 to 5 sessions per week for 2 to 4 consecutive weeks.
The treatment plan details are discussed at the first consultation, then all the necessary calculations are made, the radiation area is specified, and the treatment starts. As it is a non-invasive treatment, it does not have any significant impact over the patient’s day to day life.
The range of Xstrahl 100 treatment arm movement enables smooth adjustment and easy set up for each treatment field. Its flexibility makes it particularly suited for treating lesions that are difficult to access, such as ones on the head and neck, without compromising patient comfort.
“I am so pleased that I chose SRT over reconstructive surgery. The treatment was very manageable. There was no “down time”. I continued my normal, daily schedule. … The SRT was most successful as there is no evidence of treatment or basal cell on my nose now. I am so grateful SRT was an option”.
SCARS Center patient
Xstrahl 100
The Xstrahl 100 is a modern low energy X-ray treatment system. It delivers a gentle beam of X-rays to the skin which damages DNA of cancer cells. The dead cancer cells are eliminated and the skin recovers with good function and a good cosmetic outcome.
Conclusion
The number of skin cancers being diagnosed in the USA is on the rise. An increasing number of patients prefer a safer skin cancer treatment with better cosmetic results. Under such circumstances the advantages of the Xstrahl 100’s superficial radiotherapy treatment are clear; it ensures cure rates similar to surgery and a far better appearance during treatment compared to other options.
[i] “Skin Cancer Facts & Statistics.” Skin Cancer Foundation, http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts#general. Accessed 26 September 2017
[ii] “Skin Cancer Facts & Statistics.” Skin Cancer Foundation, http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts#general. Accessed 26 September 2017
