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← Melanoma

HEALTH PROFESSIONAL · SOURCE READING

Radiation therapy

Source: Melanoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.

Source updated: May 2, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.

Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary.

Context: Treatment of Unresectable Stage III, Stage IV, and Recurrent Melanoma / Treatment Options for Unresectable Stage III, Stage IV, and Recurrent Melanoma / Palliative therapy

Although melanoma is a relatively radiation-resistant tumor, palliative radiation therapy may alleviate symptoms. Retrospective studies have shown that symptom relief and some shrinkage of the tumor with radiation therapy may occur in patients with:[56,57]

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Multiple brain metastases.

Bone metastases.

Spinal cord compression.

The most effective dose-fractionation schedule for palliation of melanoma metastatic to the bone or spinal cord is unclear, but high-dose-per-fraction schedules are sometimes used to overcome tumor resistance. For more information, visit Cancer Pain.

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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice