Home Iconic Community What are the latest advances in skin cancer treatment?

What are the latest advances in skin cancer treatment?

A/Prof Matthew Foote and Dr Ian Irving / 17 Dec, 2021

Facebook Live with Dr Ian Irving and A/Prof Matthew Foote

Icon Radiation Oncologist A/Prof Matthew Foote recently appeared live on the Icon Cancer Centre Facebook page hosted by Icon Medical Director Dr Ian Irving, where they discussed the latest in radiation therapy treatment for skin cancer.

The panel answered a variety of questions from our patients including:

4:13 – How is radiation therapy used to treat early stage non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancer?
6:01 – When should I consider treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers with radiation therapy? Who is it most suitable for?
7:20 – How is radiation used to treat more advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) skin cancers?
7:45 – How is melanoma skin cancer treated?
8:40 – What is Merkel cell carcinoma and how is it treated?
10:45 – Is surgery or radiation therapy better for the treatment of early-stage non-melanoma skin cancers? How do I decide which treatment is right for me?
12:35 – What happens when you have radiation therapy for non-melanoma skin cancer? How many treatments do people usually have and what is it like?
17:05 – Why do skin cancers come back after treatment and what happens if skin cancer comes back after treatment?
18:22 – Can you have radiation therapy after surgery for skin cancer?
25:17 – What are some of the common side effects of radiation therapy?
28:45 – If I get side effects from radiation therapy, can I stop treatment once I’ve started? Will partial treatment have any benefit or do I have to complete the course?

30:35 – How can radiation therapy be used to cure skin cancer when radiation from the sun caused it in the first place? Doesn’t it cause more cancers?
33:00 – When is it beneficial to have radiation therapy on larger areas of skin like your arms? Does it permanently stop skin cancers from coming back on that area?
36:34 – How is chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy used to treat skin cancers?
39:20 – How is stereotactic radiation therapy used to treat secondary cancers from advanced or metastatic melanoma?
41:40 – How can I prevent skin cancer?
43:45 – How often should I get a skin cancer check?
46:40 – Can I get a genetic test for melanoma skin cancer? Can I get skin cancer if I have olive skin?
48:55 – Can the lights used for drying your nails in nail salons cause skin cancer?
50:15 – Are skin cancers triggered when women go through menopause?
51:00 – Is skin cancer more common in men than women?
53:15 – What does Merkel cell carcinoma look like and how is it treated?
56:25 – What is the cost of radiation therapy? Is radiation therapy covered by Medicare?

Find out how to become a patient at Icon Cancer Centre, or request more information from your nearest centre.

Icon brings together some of Australia’s most experienced medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and haematologists.

There are many different types of treatment for skin cancer. Your treatment will depend on you and your cancer.

Our patients share their perspective and advice.