Read how an elderly patient with melanoma on the inside of her thigh was treated with the #CyberKnife System, providing a non-invasive treatment option for skin cancer.
This case study demonstrates the versatility of the CyberKnife® Treatment Delivery System enabling treatment to be delivered to complex and challenging cases.
Patient was originally diagnosed with early-stage uterine cancer treated with surgery alone. Low-risk features did not necessitate postoperative chemotherapy or radiation therapy. She was subsequently followed closely by Gyn. Oncology team.
One year later she re-presented with an apparent vaginal recurrence.
A biopsy was performed and pathology confirmed the presence of a melanoma.
She underwent resection followed by post-operative brachytherapy and external radiation therapy.
Patient subsequently underwent multiple surgeries and multiple immunotherapy treatments which failed to control her cancer. She developed an ulcerating lesion on the inside of her thigh. The PET scan showed that the lesion extended more deeply than expected. Typically, electrons can be used to treat skin lesions but given the required depth and irregularity of the target, electrons were deemed clinically unsuitable.
Despite surgery and immunotherapy, she had persistently growing disease resulting in lower extremity edema and ulceration through the skin. The patient remained ambulatory and was referred for consideration of CyberKnife treatment.
TREATMENT DELIVERY:
The patient was positioned supine, feet first with her lower extremeties immobilized using a vacuum bag, with the right leg slightly abducted
Bolus was applied during treatment
To track the tumor in real-time, a single fiducial marker was implanted in the dominant mass
Treatment prescription: 60 Gy in 5 fractions (equivalent to eleven weeks of conventionally fractionated radiotherapy)
99 robotically delivered non-coplanar beams delivered using the CyberKnife System
POST-TREATMENT:
There was a month-long delay in response to treatment. There was some tanning and hyperpigmentation in the area; there was no discernible skin breakdown observed. Clinically, the ulcerating tumor disappeared within one month. A robust skin reaction was observed which was limited to a 1 cm zone around the tumor. Two months later, PET/CT showed a complete metabolic and anatomic response.
At CyberKnife Miami our team is happy to answer any questions you have about CyberKnife used in the treatment of any kind of cancer.
You can reach us at 305-279-2900.