Skin Cancer

To speak to a patient care coordinator
or schedule an appointment,
call 206-922-6400

• About Skin Cancer
  1. Who Gets Skin Cancer
  2. How Do I Know If I Have Skin Cancer?
  3. What Are My Treatment Options?
• Our Skin Cancer Treatment Services
  1. Electron-Beam Radiation Therapy
  2. What to Expect During Treatment
• Talk to a Cancer Navigator
• Resources

Precise Radiation for Skin Cancer

Although it is the most common type of cancer in the United States today, skin cancer can almost always be treated if detected and diagnosed early. Treatment usually requires surgery to remove the tumor. While not often used to treat the primary tumor, radiation therapy is often used to kill cancer cells remaining after surgery or to treat skin cancer that has spread to other areas. It can also be used to relieve symptoms of skin cancer that has spread to the brain or bone. However, older radiation methods can expose nearby, healthy tissue to damage.

Cutting-edge therapies such as Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) enable physicians to deliver higher and ultra precise doses of radiation to cancerous skin tumors while sparing nearby healthy tissue. This is particularly significant for skin cancer, which can appear anywhere on the surface of the body and place critical areas at risk.