Medical Journal Cancers Reports that with Image-Guided SRT, Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Freedom from Recurrence Does Not Significantly Vary by Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status or Comorbidity Burden

CHICAGO, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dermatology Association of Radiation Therapy (DART), a national non-profit medical society working to heighten awareness of radiation therapy in the dermatological setting through advocacy, education, and research, today announced the publication of the first large retrospective cohort study to evaluate the potential effects of neighborhood-level socioeconomic deprivation and patient-level comorbidity on freedom from recurrence following Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy (Image-Guided SRT, or IGSRT) for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). The study was published on December 1, 2024, in the peer-reviewed medical journal Cancers.

Researchers found that freedom from recurrence does not significantly vary by neighborhood socioeconomic status or comorbidity burden. They report, "In combination with previous cohort studies indicating the superiority of IGSRT, these findings suggest that IGSRT is an excellent first-line treatment option for patients who cannot or choose not to undergo surgical removal of NMSC regardless of their socioeconomic or comorbidities." Further, "there was no significant association found between neighborhood deprivation or comorbidity burden and freedom from recurrence of NMSC at 2-, 4-, or 6-years following treatment with IGSRT."

The article, "The Impact of Socioeconomic Status and Comorbidities on Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Recurrence After Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy," is authored by Liqiao Ma, Michael Digby, Kevin Wright, Marguerite A. Germain, Erin M. McClure, Francisca Kartono, Syed Rahman, Scott D. Friedman, Candace Osborn and Alpesh Desai. Their work was funded by DART.

DART Chairman Jacob Scott, M.D., who was not involved in the research, noted, "From a public health standpoint, the findings on NMSC recurrence rates in rural versus urban areas are of particular interest."

The article underscores that the Institute of Medicine in 2003 identified rural residence as a potential risk factor for health disparities, stating that rural hospitals are characterized by lower-quality clinical decision-making, technical diagnostic and therapeutic processes, and monitoring processes than those in urban teaching hospitals.

The new research shows, "Nearly three-quarters of the cohort are in metro areas with populations of 250,000 or greater. This supports the idea that patients in more urban areas are more likely to have access to radiation treatment. This presents an opportunity for improving access to treatment for NMSC via the increased adoption of IGSRT by rural dermatology practices."

Image-Guided SRT is presently available in more than 360 dermatology practices, spanning nearly all 50 states. The journal report suggests that dermatology practices offering Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) could incorporate IGSRT to improve their communities' access to NMSC treatment.

The authors also addressed reimbursement as a limitation to access, noting that "most Mohs surgeons do not accept Medicare." Consistent appropriate Medicare coverage, they suggest, "could help provide treatment to the Medicare population." Additionally, they write that because IGSRT offers short individual treatment sessions compared with MMS (15 minutes versus 2-4 hours, respectively), this technology also provides an alternative treatment option for patients unsuited or uninterested in surgical management.

Acknowledging DART's efforts in developing professional standards, the article advises that, "in dermatology settings, radiation therapists can specialize in administering IGSRT using low-energy photons to treat NMSC. They follow DART Appropriate Use Criteria for the treatment of SCCs and BCCs. The clinical expertise and technical skill set of radiation therapists, in collaboration with radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and the appropriate multi-disciplinary team, ensures the quality and safety of treatment."

DART Chairman Scott observed, "Advancements in radiation therapy are being made at a rapid rate and as new peer-reviewed research emerges to confirm the superiority of such developments, dermatologists everywhere should consider embracing them for the benefit of patients. This study's implication that Image-Guided SRT can improve the lives of patients in rural areas in particular is worthy of note."

About the Dermatology Association of Radiation Therapy (DART)
The Dermatology Association of Radiation Therapy (DART) is a national non-profit medical society working to heighten awareness of radiation therapy in the dermatological setting through advocacy, education, and research. It is the only medical society focused on the use of radiation therapy and other nonsurgical options for the treatment of skin cancer and dermatologic conditions. Membership information and additional details can be found at dermassociationrt.org.

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SOURCE Dermatology Association of Radiation Therapy