Esteya electronic brachytherapy is a new method to treat skin cancer in a more specific way, targeting only the cancerous site without harming the surrounding healthy organs. This high precision treatment solution, which has been developed by Elekta AB., has the capacity to mimic high dose radiation (HDR) brachytherapy by bringing a miniaturized x-ray source very close to the affected site and preventing healthy skin cells from radiation damage.
This selective radiation property of Esteya electronic brachytherapy was recently studied among patients at the La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital, Valencia with physicians presenting a 100% complete response and excellent cosmetic outcomes.
This study titled “Efficacy and safety of electronic brachytherapy for superficial and nodular basal cell carcinoma” was published in the current issue of Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy.
A total of 52 metastases of malignant melanoma in 14 patients were included in the study, and local tumor control and safety were evaluated as primary and secondary endpoints. Moreover, researchers assessed overall survival and progression free survival. The team applied single fraction high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy using a 192Iridium source, and clinical follow-up took place every 3 months post intervention.
The team applied radiation doses between 15 and 20 Gy, with a mean irradiation time of 7-45 minutes. After a median follow up of 5 months, the median local tumor control was of 90%, while the median overall survival of patients was of 8 months. Furthermore, median progression free survival of the patients was of 6 months.
The investigators believe Esteya electronic brachytherapy was a good treatment alternative for patients who were unsuitable for surgery, in addition to those who had declined surgery, had multiple lesions and for whom electronic brachytherapy might have improved cosmetic outcome.
