[Endocurietherapy of basal-cell epitheliomas of the face (author's transl)]

The diagnosis of basal cell epitheliomas of the face is usually made at an early stage (lesions of less than one centimetre in diameter) in France. Because of their good prognosis, without metastatic risk (95% recovery rate), therapy can be chosen as a function of its cost and the esthetic result obtained. The author considers that surgery, endocurietherapy with iridium, and plesioradiotherapy are equally effective but should be chosen according to the extent and location of the lesion. The ear, and to a lesser degree the nose, are the major indications for curietherapy. For the cyclids and flat surfaces (temporal or frontal regions etc...) surgery, and plesioradiotherapy are the treatment of choice.