Radiation Oncology

Radiation is one the treatment modalities used against melanoma. High energy X-rays are utilized to eliminate cancers or reduce their ability to grow. External beam radiation is commonly used to treat melanoma. It is a standard form of radiation to supplement or occasionally replace surgery. Use of electron or photon energies allow for treatments to be tailored to each individual circumstance. Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) sculpts the radiation to match the target (tumor) via pencil-thin beams of radiation. It can allow for higher doses to the tumor while avoiding excess dose to the normal tissue. Depending on the tumor location and surrounding tissues, there may be significant advantages to using this option.