DART Releases New Clinical Guidelines for Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Treatment
The Dermatology Association of Radiation Therapy (DART) has published new clinical guidelines for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) using image-guided superficial radiation therapy (IGSRT), according to a news release.
The guidelines, developed collaboratively by DART’s education and research committees, will assist dermatologists, radiation oncologists, and radiation therapists in the appropriate use of noninvasive, radiation-based treatments. Lio Yu, MD, chair of DART's Research Committee, told Practical Dermatology that the guidelines were "designed to help dermatology practices develop and adhere to best practices using the nonsurgical option of IGSRT to achieve optimal outcomes close to or exceeding a 99% cure rate in patients with early-stage Basal cell and cutaneous Squamous cell cancers."
As IGSRT combines high-resolution dermal ultrasound imaging with superficial radiation therapy, the guidelines provide detailed criteria for diagnosing, staging, and using IGSRT for both BCC and SCC. The guideline authors emphasized the importance of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) in delivering IGSRT, noting that MDT should include a board-certified dermatologist, a board-certified radiation therapist (RTT), a radiation oncologist, and a medical physicist. Weekly national Grand Rounds were also recommended to support dermatologists with complex cases, including dose calculations and treatment planning.
The guidelines, according to the release, are based on a critical appraisal of recent clinical evidence and are intended to provide recommendations that inform patient care. However, DART advises healthcare providers to use their clinical judgment and discretion, as the guidelines are not a substitute for professional medical advice.
“As a board-certified dermatologist specializing in cutaneous oncology and offering various procedures for patients facing skin cancer diagnoses, I commend DART for their development of new evidence-based guidelines," DART member Aaron Farberg, MD, a dermatologist and Mohs surgeon, told Practical Dermatology. "Patients, and even government and private insurers, stand to benefit significantly from such technological and procedural innovation in the treatment of skin diseases. I look forward to learning more from DART about the use of radiation therapy for treatment in the dermatology setting of the most commonly diagnosed cancers.”