Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to target skin cancers. Many basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers can be successfully treated with electron beam radiation. Since this type of radiation therapy targets only the top layers of skin, it is less likely to affect deeper tissues or organs.
Radiation therapy can also be effective for treating large tumors or those located in areas that cannot be removed surgically (such as on the eyelid, the tip of the nose, or the ear). In cases where cancer cells may be left after surgery and further surgery is not possible, radiation therapy can be added to reduce the risk that the cancer will come back.
