Total Skin Electron Beam Therapy
Total skin electron beam therapy involves irradiating the entire surface of the skin and is used in the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and mycosis fungoides, a form of lymphoma impacting the skin.
At Apollo Cancer Centre, Hyderabad, we provide a comprehensive range of treatments aimed at enhancing both patient outcomes and their overall quality of life. Our team of radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, and dosimetrists is exceptionally skilled and seasoned in their areas of expertise.
What Happens During the Procedure?
- Total skin electron beam therapy employs a type of radiation known as electrons, which penetrates the body’s first 1-2 centimetres, targeting the skin while minimising exposure to surrounding tissues and organs.
- Treatment sessions typically occur 2-4 days per week over a span of 8-10 weeks, with each session lasting 30-60 minutes.
- Much of the session duration is dedicated to positioning the patient correctly for treatment, with the actual radiation treatment taking only a few minutes.
- During the procedure, radiation beams pass through the tumour and exit on the opposite side of the body, exposing all tissues in their path to radiation.
- This comprehensive exposure carries the potential for side effects, especially if the entire skin surface were treated in this manner, leading to radiation exposure of the entire body, including internal organs, and subsequent side effects.
Methods of Treatment via Total Skin Electron Beam Therapy
Stanford Technique vs. Platform: Patients undergoing radiation therapy will either undergo a series of poses (Stanford Technique) or stand on a spinning platform. Both approaches ensure accurate delivery of radiation dosage to all targeted areas.
Single Beam versus Dual Beams: Radiation treatment will involve either the use of a single beam to target the entire body simultaneously or splitting the beam into two, treating the top and bottom halves separately.
Dose Determination for Total Skin Electron Beam Therapy
Conventional Dose
- Conventional dose of total skin electron beam therapy has demonstrated effectiveness in treating cutaneous lymphoma, with overall response rates ranging from 94.7% to 100% when using doses of 30–36 Gy.
- There is a dose-dependent relationship between radiation dosage and complete response rates, with higher doses correlating to increased complete response rates, particularly in lower-stage disease.
Low Dose
- Lower-dose total skin electron beam therapy has been explored due to associated toxicities limiting the use of standard conventional doses of total skin electron beam therapy following disease recurrence.
- Studies have evaluated different lower doses, such as 4 Gy, 10 Gy, and 12 Gy TSEBT, demonstrating high overall response rates with acceptable toxicity profiles.