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Updated: Oct 18, 2026
Intramucosal Inoculation of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells in Mice for Tumor Immune Profiling and Treatment Response Assessment
Published on: April 22, 2019
US-based Delphi Consensus Study on Adjuvant Radiation Therapy (ART) in Node-Negative Cutaneous Squamous Cell
Jacqueline S Stevens1, Christopher A Barker2, Richard L Bakst3
1Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.
Purpose:
There is a paucity of high-level evidence for adjuvant radiation therapy (ART) in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) creating practice variations. This study provides expert consensus recommendations on patient and tumor selection, timing, duration, dosage, and additional considerations for ART in node-negative CSCC.
Methods:
The Delphi panel included 35 experts in radiation oncology (15), dermatology/Mohs micrographic surgery (9), medical oncology (7), head and neck surgery (3), and surgical oncology (1). Consensus was defined as ≥80% concordance; near-consensus 70-79% concordance.
Results:
Consensus was reached to recommend ART when further surgery is not possible, but the tumor has positive gross or histologic/microscopic margins (35/35, 100%). Key consensus or near-consensus recommendations for recommending ART to the tumor bed following negative-margin surgery include: 5-year cumulative incidence of local recurrence (29/35, 83%) or nodal metastasis (27/35, 77%) ≥ 20%; gross cortical bone/marrow invasion (32/35, 91%); skull base invasion (32/35, 91%); 4 risk factors (RF) (35/35, 100%); 3 RF (30-33/35, 86-94%); PNI ≥ 0.1 mm and one other RF (30/35, 86%); and clinical nerve invasion (31/35, 89%). Immune status influenced ART decision-making (30/35, 86%) with 77% (27/35) more likely to recommend ART for immunosuppressed patients. Consensus was reached to omit ART for pathologic complete response following neoadjuvant immunotherapy (34/35, 97%). Among radiation oncologists, 100% (15/15) agreed the optimal window for ART to the tumor bed is 4-8 weeks and that hypofractionated regimens can be appropriate (12/15, 80%). Consensus was reached for prescription doses of 60-66 Gy in 2 Gy/fx (15/15, 100%) or 50-55 Gy in 2.5 Gy/fx (13/15, 87%), and that superficial radiation and brachytherapy are inappropriate ART modalities for node-negative high-stage CSCC (14/15, 93%). There was no consensus on elective nodal basin irradiation.
Conclusions:
This Delphi study provides an expert consensus-based framework to standardize ART for node-negative high-stage CSCC following surgery, informing future guidelines and utilization.