Adjuvant Radiotherapy After Keloid Excision: Preliminary Experience in Taiwan

Surgical excision with adjuvant radiotherapy has gained attention as an effective treatment of keloid. The Asian population is challenged with a high incidence of keloid occurrence with a specific genetic predominance. The annual reported incidence of new keloid cases in Taiwan is around 30,000, but the disease control rate and effectiveness by means of surgical excision with adjuvant radiotherapy is not yet clear.

A retrospective chart review of the included consecutive keloid patients receiving surgical excision and radiotherapy was performed from 2013 to 2016 in a single institute. The reported risk factors were collected to investigate according to the outcome analysis. The Vancouver Scar Scale and the Japan Scar Workshop (JSW) Scar Scale were used to evaluate the correlation with keloid recurrence.

In this series, the overall recurrence rate was 32%, reported with an average follow-up of 28 months. Independent risk factors varied according to the different outcome variables. Only JSW classification score independently predicted the risk of keloid recurrence (odds ratio, 1.305; P = 0.02). Both the Vancouver Scar Scale and the JSW system showed a good correlation with keloid recurrence (correlation efficiency, 0.529 and 0.54; P = 0.0437 and 0.0165, respectively).

This preliminary report revealed convincing evidence of feasibility and effectiveness of applying adjuvant radiotherapy after keloid excision in the Taiwanese population. A more delicate biological equivalent dose of radiotherapy with an effective local control should be considered to improve the final outcome.