Combined surgery and irradiation for treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids

This is a study of 11 patients who received combined surgery and irradiation for intractable hypertrophic scars and keloids. All of the patients received early post-operative (within 24 hours) irradiation with a 6-MeV electron beam and a total dose ranging from 1500-2100 rads in five to nine fractions after surgical excision of the lesions. The subjects were followed-up for over six months and the results are as follows: seven had a good response; three had a partial response; and one experienced a recurrence. The overall response rate was 90%, and no radiation injuries to the skin or delayed healing of the wound were noted. These preliminary outcomes are encouraging, especially for those patients who can not tolerate or have not responded well to other treatment programs.