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Neutron brachytherapy in the treatment of melanoma
B M Vtyurin1, V S Medvedev, V A Anikin
1Department of Brachytherapy, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Obninsk, Kaluga Region.
Purpose:
The use of Cf-252 for treatment of cutaneous malignant melanoma is presented.
Methods And Materials:
From 1975 to 1992, plaque Cf-252 applicator neutron brachytherapy was performed in nine patients with skin malignant melanoma of head and neck or chest wall. Neutron brachytherapy alone was applied in six patients; two patients received neutron brachytherapy before and one after photon teletherapy. Tumor neutron brachytherapy doses ranged from 3.9-11.5 Gy. Four patients underwent surgical resection of the primary tumor and in six cases, regional lymph node dissection was done.
Results:
The patients survival times ranged from 3 months to 12 years; 2-year survival was 50% and 30% of the patients lived 3 years. The mean survival time was 39 months. All but 1 patients died because of distant metastases. Local tumor control was achieved in all cases.
Conclusion:
The clinical study shows the relative sensitivity of melanoma to the neutron irradiation and offer new possibilities in Cf-252 brachytherapy.
