Curative Radiotherapy for Locally Advanced Scalp Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

A 73-year-old man presented to his primary physician with an ulcerative growth on his scalp vertex. Biopsy of the lesion confirmed the growth to be a moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, but the patient declined medical intervention. The lesion increased in size over six months, measuring 12 cm in diameter and 3 cm thickness with erosion of the skull of the vertex. CT and MRI scans showed a large fungating mass with erosion of the skull of vertex without intra-cranial extension, meningeal enhancement, or distant metastatic disease. The patient declined surgical intervention. The patient received radiotherapy using volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) to a total dose of 60 Gy over six weeks. No evidence of clinical invasive disease apart from a 15 cm * 12 cm skin defect detected three months after completion of radiotherapy. At three years of follow-up, the patient is clinically disease-free. This case report provides evidence that high-dose radiotherapy is a potential effective definitive treatment for locally advanced (T4) squamous cell carcinoma for patients who are unwilling to undergo surgery.