When Elizabeth Pelletier’s mother, Mary, was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma on the side of her nose at age 96, the mother-daughter duo knew they had to find a convenient, safe and effective treatment option. Elizabeth first scheduled her mother for Mohs surgery, a skin cancer treatment that involves removing thin layers of skin, in early January 2024.
“But the surgeon was hesitant to do the procedure because of the location of the cancer, the expected outcomes and my mother’s age,” says Elizabeth, 71, who lives in Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey. “We asked about other options and the Mohs surgeon suggested we look at brachytherapy.”
Brachytherapy is a form of radiation therapy that provides precise, noninvasive treatment of skin cancer (including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) in areas that would be difficult to treat with Mohs surgery.
“Mohs surgery is an invasive procedure and for some patients it is not appropriate due to health concerns, medication use, previous Mohs surgery or the risk of scarring in areas such as the side of the nose that contain cartilage,” says Douglas A. Miller, MD, medical director of radiation oncology at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. “With brachytherapy, we can offer a noninvasive, curative option with no incisions, few side effects and minimal or no scarring.”
Brachytherapy practice is expanded following treatment successes
Dr. Miller began offering brachytherapy in 2017. At the time, he was seeing about one patient per month. A lot has changed since then.
“The number of patients treated with brachytherapy has increased exponentially over the years, and I have treated every part of the body, from the nose to the toes,” says Dr. Miller.
Although brachytherapy has a 97 percent cure rate and provides excellent cosmetic results, it is not suitable for everyone.
“Brachytherapy cannot be used to treat melanoma and is not appropriate for patients with lesions larger than 3.5 centimeters or thicker than 1 millimeter,” says Dr. Miller. “However, it may be appropriate for people with smaller basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma lesions – especially older people who have already had Mohs surgery or who cannot undergo Mohs surgery.”
“Affordable” access to convenient, innovative care
After learning about the benefits of brachytherapy from Dr. Miller, Elizabeth – who had previously undergone several Mohs surgeries for skin cancer – received the results of a biopsy of a lesion on her nose.
“I noticed a lesion in the exact same spot on my nose as my mother’s,” says Elizabeth. “I was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma a few weeks after my mother in January 2024 and also decided to have brachytherapy.”
Dr. Miller says, “Elizabeth saw how well her mother was doing and asked her dermatologist to refer her for brachytherapy. She decided it would be a great option for her, too.”
Mary had her first brachytherapy treatment with Dr. Miller at Jersey Shore on January 29, 2024. Elizabeth followed in her mother’s footsteps and began treatment in February. They each had six brachytherapy sessions – twice a week for three weeks – and experienced excellent results. Each treatment lasts five minutes or less.
“It was almost a miracle,” says Elizabeth. “The process was very easy for Mom and me. The treatments were painless and only took a few minutes each time – and the result is better than we could have hoped for.”
Aside from some mild sunburn-like redness at the treatment site and a stuffy nose for a few weeks, Elizabeth and her mother experienced no side effects or downtime. Both are extremely happy with the experience and have even been able to go to appointments and follow-up appointments together.
“I highly recommend (brachytherapy) and have told many people,” says Elizabeth. “Having access to brachytherapy close to home is priceless. Dr. Miller and his entire team are amazing, and Jersey Shore is a great place to get the latest treatment.”
Next steps and resources
The material provided through HealthU is for general information purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your healthcare professional. Always consult your healthcare professional for individualized treatment.
