Not everyone wants surgery for skin cancer — and for some cancers on the nose, ears or eyelids, surgery can mean a noticeable scar or a complicated repair. Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy (SRT) in Springville, UT offers another path for many basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers.
SRT uses low-energy X-rays that treat the cancer near the surface of the skin. There is no cutting, no bleeding and no stitches, and you can go about your day after each short visit.
When You Might Choose Image-Guided SRT
SRT can be a good option for non-melanoma skin cancers — basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas — that sit close to the surface. It is often considered for cancers on the face, nose, ears, lips and eyelids, where surgery is harder and scarring matters more. It can also suit older patients, people on blood thinners, people with health conditions that make surgery risky, and anyone who simply prefers to avoid surgery.
SRT is not right for every cancer. Melanoma and deeper or larger tumors are usually treated with surgery. Your provider will review your biopsy result and help you weigh SRT against excision.
Our Image-Guided SRT Process
Before treatment begins, the cancer is mapped with high-resolution ultrasound imaging, which shows its depth and size. That image guides the dose, and repeat imaging during your course lets the team track how the tumor is responding.
Each visit is short — usually about 10 to 15 minutes. You sit in a chair, the device is positioned over the spot, and the treatment itself takes only a minute or two. You feel nothing during it. A typical course is around 20 short treatments, given two to four times a week.
Treated skin may turn red, crusty or tender, a bit like a sunburn, and then heals over the following weeks. We will check the area over time to confirm the cancer is gone.
Between visits, keep the treated area clean and moisturized, and protect it from the sun. Avoid harsh products, makeup or shaving directly on the spot while it heals. Most people continue their usual routine — work, errands, exercise — through the whole course. After treatment ends, the skin usually heals smoothly, and we schedule follow-up visits to check the area and the rest of your skin.
SRT Cost in Springville
Image-Guided SRT for skin cancer is medical treatment and is billed to health insurance like other skin cancer care. Coverage depends on your plan. Your cost depends on your coverage and the number of treatments. Our team can check your benefits and explain your expected share before you start.
Why Choose Us
Your skin cancer treatment is handled by a practice led by Dr. Michael Peterson, who is board-certified in both dermatology and dermatopathology and spent 12 years as an Army dermatologist. Tissue we remove is examined in our own dermatopathology lab. We offer same-day appointments at our Springville office and also treat patients in Provo, Tooele and St. George. Daily Herald readers voted us first in the Best of Utah Valley from 2019 through 2023.
Image-Guided SRT is one of the options offered by our skin cancer and surgical dermatology team in Springville.