Skin And Breast Flashcards
What are the types of non melanoma skin cancers
- basal cell carcinoma
- squamous cell carcinoma
- mycosis fungoides
- kaposi’s sarcoma
- merkel cell
How many of cancers diagnosed are skin
1/3
What is the ratio of male to female of those diagnosed with skin cancers
2:1
What are the most common reasons for skin cancer
Fair skin
History of excessive sun exposure
Which skin cancer is most common
Basal cell carcinoma
Where do basal cell carcinomas arise from
Basal layer of epidermis
Where do basal cell carcinomas occur most
Head and neck
Compare the likely hood of metastasis from BCC to SCC
BCC (rare) and SCC (likely)
Where do SCCn arise from
Epidermal keratinizing cells
What is a SCC in situ known as
Bowen’s diease
What is a benign SCC known as
Keratocanthoma
What reasons would surgery be preferred over RT
- four small lesions and primary closure is possible
- mainly preferred over Rt
Why would RT be preferred over surgery
- cosmetically or functionally sensitive area (nose, canthus of the eye)
- comorbid disease
- primary closure not possible
- patient preference
What are the advantages of radiotherapy in skin cancers
- better for older and in poor health
- better for people on anticoagulants with bleeding tendency
- preserves anatomic contour
- no reconstructive surgery required
- no anesthesia required
What are the disadvantages of radiotherapy in skin cancers
- potential cataract or carcinogenesis in the young patient
- many visits for optimal cosmetic result
- some degree of chronic effects expected which worsen with time
- takes 3-4 weeks to heal (acute morbidity)
What would be a reason to choose RT
- improve local control ( post operative positive margin , extensive nodal disease found at dissection)
- used as a primary where lesion could be deep
- lesion could be nose, lip, eyelid, ear
- to preserve normal tissue contours
- if margins were not examined microscopically
What are some reasons for RT that are not primary or local control related
- large primary size >5cm
- recurrent disease
- incompletely excised primary (positive surgical margins)
- perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion
- regional nodal involvement
What are some reasons RT would not be used
- young age (scar worsens with time)
- area is exposed to other hazards (sunlight, poor blood supply, trauma/friction)
- hair hearing skin
- previous high dose RT
- peripheral limb lesions in an edematous leg or with vasculopathy
- fair fragile or damaged skin
What are the most common sites XRT will be used
- eyelids
- lip
- nasal pyramid
- canthal regions
- pinna of the ear
Once radiation is chosen, what are the 8 steps that are taken to choose the treatment
- Determine extent and size of lesion
- Delineate surface depth/size
- Select beam type and energy
- Tailor field defining devices (margins)
- Tailor beam blocking devices if any
- +/- bolts
- Tailor immobilization / machine / set up
- Document all of the above
How’d you determine extent, size, and depth of the lesion
palpation
- bidigital (assess depth but is imprecise and requires safety margins)
- CT / MRI (assess depth of invasion (infiltrative/perineural))
What is the T staging for BCC and SCC
T1 - greater and equal to 2cm
T2 - 2-5cm
T3 - greater than 5 cm
T4 - tumour involves deep structures (cartilage, muscle, bone)
What are the CTV margins for BCC
< 2cm = 5mm
> 2cm or distinct/morphea or recurrent = 1cm
> and equal to 6cm plus advanced grade = 2cm
What is the margin for SCC
1 cm or more
What are the types of XRT used for skin
Superficial / ortho photons (single SSD field)
Electrons with bolus
Brachy
MV external beam
What are superficial X rays energy
50-150 Kip
Fill in these blanks for superficial x rays
Useful for _____ T_ lesions
Maximum dose on surface with ____% of dose is at ___mm of depth
___ dose fall off at ___ depth
After ___ mm dose drops off significantly
- excellent for _____ tumours
- small T1
- 90% at 5mm
- rapid at 5mm
- 5mm
- superficial
What is the energy range for ortho
150-400 Kip
Fill in the blanks for ortho voltage x rays
Useful for
- more ____ disease T__
- involvement of ___ or ____
- involved _____
- maximum dose on ____
- additional _______ power
- 90% of dose at ____ depth
- excellent for lesions ________ the skin surface
- bulky disease T1/2
- bone or cartilage
- lymph nodes
- surface
- penetrating
- 2.0 cm
- slightly below
What are the advantages of orthovoltage
- easy shielding
- narrow penumbra
- relatively flat beam
- low cost
What are the disadvantages of orthovoltage
- F factor (increases absorption in bone compared to soft)
- dose drop off (dose not uniform for thick tumour)
- significant dose to underlying normal tissues, bone
- availability of orthovoltage units
- Dosimetry issues with small/shielded fields
When are ortho and electron preferred to one another
- superficial/ortho are for T1-T2
- superficial/ortho are for tumours greater than 4cm and 1cm thick
- electrons are favoured for T2-T4 tumours and tumours on scalp to reduce exit dose to brain
What is now being more frequency being chose for T4 lesions
Megavoltage
Where at the isodose line is the therapeutic range given
90%
What are the advantages of electrons
- good for deeper skin tumours as uniformity is better at depth than orhtovoltage
- bolus can be utilized to increase surface dose
- rapid dose drop off at desired depth
- very available
- lower absorption in cartiledge and bone
What are the disadvantages of electrons
- wide field margin
- lateral scatter of electrons makes shielding difficult
- air spaces are harder to treat
Why is a wider field margin needed for electrons
Bowing of isodose lines
What does more side scatter at shallow depths and less at deeper depths result in
Higher isodose lines shifting more to surface. Decreasing therapeutic depth of beam
Is RBE lower or higher for electrons compared to low energy photons
Lower
What would be a sample dose for electrons with bolus? Include energy of beam
55/20 and 6 or 9 MeV
How much does dose need to be increased by if megavoltage is being used compared to superficial photons
10-20%
What would be the common fractionation for megavoltage T4 tumours
60/30
What would clinicians balance to determine fractionation ? What do each favour
- convenience (short regimen)
- retards proliferation (short regimen)
- better cosmesis (longer regimen)
What is the general fractionation for small superficial tumours
20 in one fraction
What is the general fractionation for <3 cm, cosmesis unimportant ?
30-35 Gy/5
What is the general fractionation for <5 cm, cosmesis unimportant ?
45 GY/10-25fx
What is the general fractionation for most indications and is also the preferred
50/15-20
What is the general fractionation for a large volume with nodal areas
60-70/30-35
What is the minimum dose for SCC for all lesions
50gy
What is the TD5/5 for 10/10cm
70 GY (necrosis)
What is the electron fractionation schedule for less than or equal to 5cm
45/10
What is the electron fractionation schedule for less than or equal to 8cm
50/20
What is the electron fractionation schedule for greater than 8cm (large)
60-70/30-35
What is the electron fractionation schedule for post adjuvant RT
50/25
How much transmission should field defining devices allow
No more than 5%
How is orthovoltage therapy shielded
Pb cutout behind tumour as well
What are some examples of orthovoltage eye shielding
Lead (1.4-1.7 +coating)
Gold (18 Karat , 2.0mm)