Radiotherapy in the treatment of keloids in East Africa

SUMMARY Seventy nine patients (73 Africans and six Asians) with 138 keloids, have been treated at Department of Radiotherapy, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi and followed at least two months after the completion of the treatment. The treatment has been surgical excision, radiotherapy, surgical excision and postoperative radiotherapy or no treatment. Excision and postoperative radiotherapy immediately after the operation give the best results. Excision alone, gives extremely poor results. Radiotherapy alone gives objective reduction of the keloid and ameliion of symptoms.

Subject/Keywords

Kenyatta National Hospital; Radiotherapy; Keloids; East Africa; Radiation

Further Details

INTRODUCTION Keloids are particularly common in Africa and because they are often large and invalidizing they present a serious problem of medical care. In East Africa kcloids have hitherto been treated surgically and the frequency of recurrence would seem to have been high (Bourrel, Resillot, Colomar a nd Piquard 1). The present study was undertaken with the object of examining the results of treatment of keloids in East Africa by surgery or radiotherapy alone, and by surgery followed by radiotherapy.

Publisher

East African Medical Journal

Series

;Vol. 50 No. 8

Permalink

https://repository.amref.ac.ke/handle/123456789/347

Collections

General - GEN [353]