The risks of treating keloids with radiotherapy

The risk of carcinogenesis from radiation exposure is well known. It has be en questioned for some time therefore, whether it is wise to treat benign d isease with radiotherapy. We report a case of a patient who developed bilat eral breast carcinomas almost 30 years after treatment of chest wall keloid s with radiotherapy. There are only anecdotal reports in the literature of malignancies following treatment of keloids with radiotherapy. We review th ese reports:and discuss the safety of this approach to the management of ke loid scars.