Radiation therapy for nonmelanoma skin carcinomas

Radiotherapy plays an important role in the management of appropriately selected skin carcinomas. Tumors of the eyelid, nose, and ear can be treated successfully with preservation of adjacent normal tissues. Tumors located in the embryologic fusion planes of the face can be irradiated with wide margins, either as primary or postoperative therapy. Radiotherapy has a significant role in the postoperative setting for patients with high-risk features in their pathologic specimens. Patients with NECS (Merkel cell carcinoma) have a high recurrence rate after surgical excision; these patients should undergo radiotherapy after resection of the clinically evident disease.