Adjuvant Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Keloids

ABSTRACT

The risk of recurrence after local surgical excision of keloids is significant. The medical literature supports the beneficial role of postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy for keloids with the risk of recurrence reduced to less than 25% in modern clinical studies.

Conventionally external beam radiation delivered with orthovoltage or electron beam has been the principal modality but more recent evidence is presented indicating the superiority of brachytherapy over other modalities. Finally, clinically relevant adverse effects of treatment are described.