Skip to main content
Back to Journal Club

Adjuvant Radiation Reduces Local Recurrence and Nodal Metastasis in High-Risk Localized cSCC

Ran NA, Granger EE, Brodland DG, et al.
Dermatologic Surgery (2026)

JC: December 2025

This study demonstrated that adjuvant radiation therapy reduces both local recurrence and nodal metastasis rates in high-risk localized cutaneous SCC. The data supported the role of postoperative radiation in improving locoregional control for tumors with high-risk features.

Take-Home Messages

  • •Adjuvant radiation significantly reduces local recurrence and nodal metastasis in high-risk localized cSCC.
  • •Postoperative radiation should be strongly considered for cSCC with perineural invasion, deep invasion, or positive margins.

Topic

Radiation Therapy

SRT, superficial X-ray, adjuvant radiation for skin cancer

Abstract

High-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (HRCSCCs) have an increased likelihood of poor outcomes following surgery. Adjuvant radiation therapy (ART) may decrease this risk; however, there is limited data on its efficacy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether ART is associated with reduced risks of local recurrence, locoregional recurrence (LRR), nodal metastasis (NM), and disease-specific death in localized, fully resected HRCSCC. A retrospective, multicenter cohort study was ...

Literature review only. This summary is an editorial interpretation and may not reflect the complete findings of the original publication. Always refer to the full-text article for clinical decision-making.