Understanding Your Treatment Options
IGSRT vs. SRT: What’s the Difference?
If you’re exploring radiation treatment for basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, you may hear about two similar-sounding options: traditional Superficial Radiation Therapy (SRT) and Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy (Image-Guided SRT, or IGSRT).
Both use low levels of X-ray energy to treat skin cancer without surgery. The key difference is image guidance. IGSRT uses advanced imaging to help your care team see the cancer beneath the surface of the skin, target the tumor, and monitor and adapt throughout the course of treatment.
Understanding that difference can help you make a more informed treatment decision.
What Is Traditional SRT?
Superficial Radiation Therapy, or SRT, is a surgery-free treatment that delivers low levels of X-ray energy to skin cancer near the surface of the body.
Traditional SRT does not include the advanced image-guidance used with GentleCure®. With traditional SRT, decisions are made without the ability to visualize and monitor the tumor beneath the skin throughout the course of treatment.
What Is Image-Guided SRT?
Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy combines superficial radiation treatment with advanced imaging. IGSRT is an important part of GentleCure, but the technology is only one part of the GentleCure Experience.
Image guidance gives your care team additional information about the tumor beneath the skin, helping them tailor treatment to your individual skin cancer. Throughout the treatment course, imaging also allows your care team to see how the tumor is changing over time.
GentleCure brings this advanced technology together with clinical expertise and dedicated support to provide a cancer center-level care experience right in the dermatology office.
IGSRT vs. SRT
| Feature | Image-Guided SRT (IGSRT) | Traditional SRT |
|---|---|---|
| Surgery-free treatment | Yes | Yes |
| Uses low levels of X-ray energy | Yes | Yes |
| Designed for skin cancers near the surface | Yes | Yes |
| Uses advanced image-guidance | Yes | No |
| Helps visualize the tumor beneath the skin | Yes | No |
| Allows imaging to monitor changes during treatment | Yes | No |
| Delivered over a series of treatment visits | Yes | Yes |
Why Does Image Guidance Matter?
Skin cancer can extend beneath the surface farther than what is visible from the outside. Image guidance gives your care team additional information about the tumor to help precisely target and tailor the treatment to your individual skin cancer.
See Beneath the Surface
Advanced imaging allows your care team to see the tumor beneath the surface of the skin and determine its depth. This provides information that cannot be gathered by looking at the skin alone.
Target the Tumor
Without imaging it’s impossible to target the tumor accurately and consistently. With imaging, the therapist can precisely target the tumor on each and every treatment session.
Guide Treatment
Knowing the depth and characteristics of the tumor helps your care team determine how to target the cancer with superficial radiation. This additional information helps guide how your skin cancer is treated.
Monitor Changes Over Time
Imaging is used throughout the treatment course to monitor how the tumor is changing and responding to treatment. You and your care team can see these changes from visit to visit as the tumor shrinks over time.
What Is the GentleCure Experience Like?
GentleCure is designed to provide a surgery-free treatment experience in a dermatology office. There is no cutting or stitches, and treatment is delivered over a series of short visits.
- No cutting or stitches
- Little to no wound care
- Patients can continue their daily activities
- Treatment is provided in a dermatology-office setting
- Image-guidance helps you and your care team follow treatment progress
What Does the Evidence Show?
99%+ cure rate1 when using Image-Guided SRT, compared to a 95% cure rate2 with SRT.
1 Yu L, Oh C, Shea CR. The treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer with image-guided superficial radiation therapy: an analysis of 2917 invasive and in situ keratinocytic carcinoma lesions. Oncol Ther. 2021;9(1):153-166. doi:10.1007/s40487-021-00138-4. View study
2 Patel JR, Engels E, Chinchilli E, Smith FL. Superficial radiation therapy versus Mohs micrographic surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Dermatol Surg. 2026;52(6):521-524. doi:10.1097/DSS.0000000000004961. View study
Is Image-Guided SRT Right for Me?
Every person and every skin cancer is different. Your dermatologist can help you understand your treatment options and decide whether Image-Guided SRT may be appropriate for your diagnosis, health history, tumor location, and individual needs.
If avoiding surgery, cutting, stitches, or a surgical wound is important to you, ask your dermatologist about GentleCure and how Image-Guided SRT compares with other treatment options available to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
GentleCure is available at participating dermatology practices. Use the location finder to identify a provider near you.
GentleCure is used to treat basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers. Your dermatologist can determine whether it
is an appropriate option for your individual diagnosis.
No. GentleCure is a surgery-free treatment. There is no cutting or stitches.
If IGSRT and SRT are both available options, there are several reasons to choose IGSRT and avoid SRT:
- Published studies document the superior cure rate offered by IGSRT.
- You get to see the cancer responding to treatment.
- After treatment is complete, you have visually confirmation that the treatment was effective.
Image-guidance provides additional information about the tumor beneath the skin. It helps your care team guide
treatment and monitor how the tumor changes over the course of therapy.
Yes. Both use low levels of X-ray energy to treat skin cancer near the surface of the body.
No. IGSRT stands for Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy. Both approaches use superficial radiation, but
IGSRT adds advanced image-guidance that helps your care team visualize the tumor and monitor it during
treatment.
Everyone Deserves a Surgery-Free Treatment Option
Participate in change. Do not let radiation oncologists limit your treatment options to protect their income. Sign a FREE petition to tell Medicare and health insurers that you expect them to CONTINUE COVERING an FDA-cleared, less invasive treatment option.