Basal cell carcinoma of the ridge of the nose treated with Cobalt-60

A case is reported of an elderly woman treated for a basal cell carcinoma, located on the ridge of the nose. The malignancy had invaded the outer surface of the bone and nearby cartilage. It is well known that when carcinoma of the skin is located near to bony cartilage structures, those structures are prone to necrosis when treated with ionizing radiation. In this case, the authors treated the nose using telecobalt therapy and increased the effect of radiation therapy on the skin using a bolus. Results during the short follow-up after completion of treatment have been excellent.