Postoperative single-dose interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy in therapy-resistant keloids

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Oncology
• Plastic Surgery

Background:

• Keloids cause cosmetic concerns, pain, and itching.
• Various therapies exist for keloid treatment.
• Evaluating surgical and radiation-based approaches is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the recurrence rate and outcomes of keloid resection followed by single-dose brachytherapy.
• To evaluate clinical response and cosmetic results using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective evaluation of patients treated with keloid resection and 13 Gy high-dose-rate brachytherapy.
• Follow-up at least one year post-treatment.
• Assessment by plastic surgeon and patients using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale.

Main Results:

• 29 keloids in 24 responding patients were evaluated.
• A recurrence rate of 24.1% was observed after a median follow-up of 53 months.
• Patient-reported scar assessment scores averaged 24.3, while observer scores averaged 14.6.

Conclusions:

• The recurrence rate in this study is higher than reported in other studies, potentially due to differing definitions, follow-up durations, or selection bias.
• Cosmetic outcomes for the evaluated patients were relatively favorable.
• A key advantage of this treatment is its single-day administration.