Skin cancer study opening hospital sites to recruit patients

UK wide SCC Skin Cancer Study

The SCC skin cancer study aims to answer the question of whether radiotherapy is better than not using radiotherapy for reducing recurrence of high-risk cSCC after surgery. 

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a common skin cancer. In most cases it can be cured by surgery, however it can reappear in the skin where it started and/or in nearby lymph glands. Recurrence after surgery is often due to skin cancer cells being unknowingly left behind or cancer cells breaking away into the surrounding skin. Extra treatment such as radiotherapy to the area where the cancer was removed might destroy any remaining cancer cells, however we are not sure if this definitely helps prevent cSCC from reappearing. 

The research team will monitor all patients for cancer recurrence, treatment side effects and quality of life. If the study shows radiotherapy is effective in preventing recurrence of cSCC, they will be able to recommend its use as a routine NHS treatment.

Approximately 840 patients need to be recruited to the study, conducted across 25 UK centres. If you want to be a study site contact the team at Cardiff University.

Please email: sccafter@cardiff.ac.uk if you would like to get involved. 

Study website with more information here: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/centre-for-trials-research/research/studies-and-trials/view/scc-after