Nonsurgical Treatments for Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer

Abstract

Although surgical intervention remains the standard of care for nonmelanoma skin cancer, other treatment modalities have been studied and used. Nonsurgical treatment methods include cryotherapy, topical medications, photodynamic therapy, radiation therapy, Hedgehog pathway inhibitors, programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitors, and active nonintervention. Despite the favorable efficacy of surgical treatment methods, many factors, including but not limited to patient age, preference, and severity of disease, must be taken into consideration when choosing the most appropriate, patient-centered treatment approach.

Keywords: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC); Cryosurgery; Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC); Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC); Nonsurgical; Photodynamic therapy; Radiation therapy.