Phototherapy and radiotherapy for skin disease

At a glance

• Phototherapy uses ultraviolet light to suppress skin inflammation. Narrowband UVB (NB-UVB) is the workhorse for psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, polymorphic light eruption hardening, early mycosis fungoides and uraemic or cholestatic itch.
• It needs a hospital or private unit visit 2 to 3 times a week for months, which is the main barrier in rural and remote Australia.
• Radiotherapy in dermatology mostly means superficial or orthovoltage X-rays, or electrons, for keratinocyte cancer in patients who can't or won't have surgery, adjuvant treatment, cutaneous lymphoma, and post-excision keloids.