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JAMA Oncology Jul 2023Pathogenesis of acute radiation dermatitis (ARD) is not completely understood. Pro-inflammatory cutaneous bacteria may contribute to cutaneous inflammation after...
IMPORTANCE
Pathogenesis of acute radiation dermatitis (ARD) is not completely understood. Pro-inflammatory cutaneous bacteria may contribute to cutaneous inflammation after radiation therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether nasal colonization with Staphylococcus aureus (SA) before radiation therapy is associated with ARD severity in patients with breast or head and neck cancer.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This prospective cohort study with observers blinded to colonization status was conducted from July 2017 to May 2018 at an urban academic cancer center. Patients aged 18 years or older with breast or head and neck cancer and plans for fractionated radiation therapy (≥15 fractions) with curative intent were enrolled via convenience sampling. Data were analyzed from September to October 2018.
EXPOSURES
Staphylococcus aureus colonization status before radiation therapy (baseline).
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary outcome was ARD grade using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Event Reporting, version 4.03.
RESULTS
Among 76 patients analyzed, mean (SD) age was 58.5 (12.6) years and 56 (73.7%) were female. All 76 patients developed ARD: 47 (61.8%) with grade 1, 22 (28.9%) with grade 2, and 7 (9.2%) with grade 3. The prevalence of baseline nasal SA colonization was higher among patients who developed grade 2 or higher ARD compared with those who developed grade 1 ARD (10 of 29 [34.5%] vs 6 of 47 [12.8%]; P = .02, by χ2 test).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In this cohort study, baseline nasal SA colonization was associated with development of grade 2 or higher ARD in patients with breast or head and neck cancer. The findings suggest that SA colonization may play a role in the pathogenesis of ARD.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Staphylococcus aureus; Prospective Studies; Cohort Studies; Radiodermatitis; Head and Neck Neoplasms
PubMed: 37140927
DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.0454 -
JAMA Oncology Jul 2023Evidence-based approaches for the prevention of acute radiation dermatitis (ARD) are limited, and additional strategies are necessary to optimize care. (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
IMPORTANCE
Evidence-based approaches for the prevention of acute radiation dermatitis (ARD) are limited, and additional strategies are necessary to optimize care.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy of bacterial decolonization (BD) to reduce ARD severity compared with standard of care.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This phase 2/3 randomized clinical trial was conducted from June 2019 to August 2021 with investigator blinding at an urban academic cancer center and enrolled patients with breast cancer or head and neck cancer receiving radiation therapy (RT) with curative intent. Analysis was performed on January 7, 2022.
INTERVENTIONS
Intranasal mupirocin ointment twice daily and chlorhexidine body cleanser once daily for 5 days prior to RT and repeated for 5 days every 2 weeks through RT.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary outcome as planned prior to data collection was the development of grade 2 or higher ARD. Based on wide clinical variability of grade 2 ARD, this was refined to grade 2 ARD with moist desquamation (grade 2-MD).
RESULTS
Of 123 patients assessed for eligibility via convenience sampling, 3 were excluded, and 40 refused to participate, with 80 patients in our final volunteer sample. Of 77 patients with cancer (75 patients with breast cancer [97.4%] and 2 patients with head and neck cancer [2.6%]) who completed RT, 39 were randomly assigned BC, and 38 were randomly assigned standard of care; the mean (SD) age of the patients was 59.9 (11.9) years, and 75 (97.4%) were female. Most patients were Black (33.7% [n = 26]) or Hispanic (32.5% [n = 25]). Among patients with breast cancer and patients with head and neck cancer (N = 77), none of the 39 patients treated with BD and 9 of the 38 patients (23.7%) treated with standard of care developed ARD grade 2-MD or higher (P = .001). Similar results were observed among the 75 patients with breast cancer (ie, none treated with BD and 8 [21.6%] receiving standard of care developed ARD grade ≥2-MD; P = .002). The mean (SD) ARD grade was significantly lower for patients treated with BD (1.2 [0.7]) compared with patients receiving standard of care (1.6 [0.8]) (P = .02). Of the 39 patients randomly assigned to BD, 27 (69.2%) reported regimen adherence, and only 1 patient (2.5%) experienced an adverse event related to BD (ie, itch).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
The results of this randomized clinical trial suggest that BD is effective for ARD prophylaxis, specifically for patients with breast cancer.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03883828.
Topics: Humans; Female; Middle Aged; Male; Radiodermatitis; Chlorhexidine; Mupirocin; Breast Neoplasms; Head and Neck Neoplasms
PubMed: 37140904
DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.0444 -
In Vivo (Athens, Greece) 2023Radiation dermatitis is a common complication of radiation therapy in breast cancer patients. Severe dermatitis may alter treatment schedules and clinical outcomes. The... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND/AIM
Radiation dermatitis is a common complication of radiation therapy in breast cancer patients. Severe dermatitis may alter treatment schedules and clinical outcomes. The topical prevention strategy is the widely used option to prevent radiation dermatitis. However, the comparison between the current topical prevention strategies is insufficient. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the topical prevention efficacy of radiation dermatitis in patients with breast cancer through a network meta-analysis.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
This study followed The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Network Meta-Analyses guidelines. A random effects model was used to compare different treatments. The treatment modality ranking was evaluated using the P-score. I2 and Cochran's Q test were used to evaluate the heterogeneity among studies.
RESULTS
Forty-five studies were analyzed in this systematic review. A total of 19 studies were finally included in this meta-analysis for grade 3 or higher radiation dermatitis, which included 18 treatment arms and 2,288 patients. The forest plot showed that none of the identified regimens were superior to standard care.
CONCLUSION
A more effective regimen than standard care for the prevention of grade 3 or higher radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients was not identified. Our network meta-analysis showed that current topical prevention strategies are similarly efficacious. However, since preventing severe radiation dermatitis is an important clinical challenge, further trials should be conducted to address this issue.
Topics: Humans; Female; Breast Neoplasms; Network Meta-Analysis; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Radiodermatitis
PubMed: 37103113
DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13216 -
Strahlentherapie Und Onkologie : Organ... Oct 2023Radiation dermatitis (RD) represents one of the most frequent side effects in radiotherapy (RT). Despite technical progress, mild and moderate RD still affects major...
Risk assessment, surveillance, and nonpharmaceutical prevention of acute radiation dermatitis: results of a multicentric survey among the German-speaking radiation oncology community.
PURPOSE
Radiation dermatitis (RD) represents one of the most frequent side effects in radiotherapy (RT). Despite technical progress, mild and moderate RD still affects major subsets of patients and identification and management of patients with a high risk of severe RD is essential. We sought to characterize surveillance and nonpharmaceutical preventive management of RD in German-speaking hospitals and private centers.
METHODS
We conducted a survey on RD among German-speaking radiation oncologists inquiring for their evaluation of risk factors, assessment methods, and nonpharmaceutical preventive management of RD.
RESULTS
A total of 244 health professionals from public and private institutions in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland participated in the survey. RT-dependent factors were deemed most relevant for RD onset followed by lifestyle factors, emphasizing the impact of treatment conceptualization and patient education. While a broad majority of 92.8% assess RD at least once during RT, 59.0% of participants report RD at least partially arbitrarily and 17.4% stated to classify RD severity solely arbitrarily. 83.7% of all participants were unaware of patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Consensus exists on some lifestyle recommendations like avoidance of sun exposure (98.7%), hot baths (95.1%), and mechanical irritation (91.8%) under RT, while deodorant use (63.4% not at all, 22.1% with restrictions) or application of skin lotion (15.1% disapproval) remain controversial and are not recommended by guidelines or evidence-based practices.
CONCLUSION
Identification of patients at an increased risk of RD and subsequent implementation of adequate preventive measures remain relevant and challenging aspects of clinical routines. Consensus exists on several risk factors and nonpharmaceutical prevention recommendations, while RT-dependent risk factors, e.g., the fractionation scheme, or hygienic measures like deodorant use remain controversial. Surveillance is widely lacking methodology and objectivity. Intensifying outreach in the radiation oncology community is needed to improve practice patterns.
Topics: Humans; Radiation Oncology; Deodorants; Radiodermatitis; Dose Fractionation, Radiation; Risk Assessment
PubMed: 37099166
DOI: 10.1007/s00066-023-02074-w -
Journal of Investigative Medicine High... 2023Radiation recall dermatitis is an inflammatory reaction of the skin that may infrequently occur in areas of the skin that have been previously treated with radiation... (Review)
Review
Radiation recall dermatitis is an inflammatory reaction of the skin that may infrequently occur in areas of the skin that have been previously treated with radiation therapy. This is thought to be due to a triggering agent administered after radiation therapy which leads to an acute inflammatory reaction, manifesting as a skin rash. We present the case of a 58-year-old male with recurrent invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, previously treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, who presented with progression of his disease. He was treated with pembrolizumab and subsequently developed a new-onset facial rash over the previously treated radiation field. The distribution of the rash was suggestive of radiation recall dermatitis. A biopsy showed dermal necrosis without evidence of dermatitis, vasculitis, or infectious process. This case highlights the incidence of a rare complication of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and emphasizes the need for careful monitoring for radiation recall dermatitis.
Topics: Male; Humans; Middle Aged; Radiodermatitis; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Exanthema
PubMed: 37096743
DOI: 10.1177/23247096231168114 -
Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer... Mar 2023Radiation dermatitis (RD) is a common side effect of radiotherapy in most breast cancer patients. Curcumin has recently attracted more attention for managing the side... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Radiation dermatitis (RD) is a common side effect of radiotherapy in most breast cancer patients. Curcumin has recently attracted more attention for managing the side effects of breast cancer treatments. This review study aimed to investigate the effect of curcumin on the severity of radiation dermatitis in patients with breast cancer. Methods: All eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were collected by searching PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science. The effect size was expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Study heterogeneity was assessed through Q statistics and I-squared.
RESULTS
Four RCTs with 882 patients were included in the final analysis. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that curcumin supplementation significantly reduced radiation dermatitis severity (RDS) score in the intervention group compared to the control group (WMD=-0.50; 95% CI -0.72 to -0.27, P <0.001). A significant heterogeneity was observed between the studies (I2 = 95.7%, P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
Based on the results of the present study, curcumin has significant effects in reducing the severity of radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. Further well-designed longitudinal studies are recommended to confirm these results and to discover the underlying mechanisms of the effects of curcumin on the severity of radiation dermatitis in patients with cancer.
Topics: Humans; Female; Curcumin; Dietary Supplements; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Radiodermatitis; Breast Neoplasms
PubMed: 36974529
DOI: 10.31557/APJCP.2023.24.3.783 -
Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia 2023
Topics: Humans; Radiodermatitis; Ibuprofen
PubMed: 36967273
DOI: 10.1016/j.abd.2021.08.017 -
Radiation Oncology (London, England) Mar 2023This study aimed to compare the adverse reactions of conventional-dose and hypofractionated dose of proton therapy for breast cancer.
PURPOSE
This study aimed to compare the adverse reactions of conventional-dose and hypofractionated dose of proton therapy for breast cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Breast cancer patients treated with proton radiotherapy in conventional-dose or hypofractionated dose were studied retrospectively.
RESULT
From January 2017 to December 2019, our center treated 50 patients following lumpectomy with proton radiotherapy. According to the AJCC 8th Edition standard, there were stage I in 26 patients, stage II in 22 patients, and stage III in 2 patients. A total of 14 patients received intensity-modulated proton therapy at a dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions, followed by a 10 Gy 4 fractionated boost to the lumpectomy cavity, while 36 received 40.05 Gy in 15 fractions, simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) 48 Gy to the lumpectomy cavity. Median follow-up time for 40.05 Gy group was 35.6 months (15-43 months). Median follow-up time for 50 Gy group was 46.8 months (36-68 months). For acute toxicity, the grade 1 and 2 radiodermatitis in conventional-dose group were 35.7% and 57.1%, respectively. In hypofractionated dose group, the grade 1 and 2 radiodermatitis were 91.7% and 8.3%, respectively. The radiodermatitis is hypofractionneted dose better than conventional-dose significantly. Grade 1 radiation-induced esophagitis in conventional-dose group and hypofractionated dose group were 85.71% and 60%, respectively. For late toxicity, no patients developed radiation-induced pneumonitis and rib fracture in conventional-dose group. Three patients presented grade 1 pneumonitis; one patient presented graded 2 pneumonitides and two patients presented rib fracture in hypofractionated dose group. One presented hypothyroidism in hypofractionated dose group. All patients were satisfied with breast shape. The one- and two-year OS and DFS for conventional-dose group were 100 and 100; 100 and 92.9%, respectively. The one- and two-year OS and DFS for hypofractionated dose group were 100 and 100; 100 and 100%, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Proton radiation therapy can significantly reduce the normal tissue dose in breast cancer patients' hearts, lungs, and other organs. Hypofractionated proton therapy shortens the treatment course with mild radiation-related adverse effects, and has a better effect on addressing the acute adverse reactions than conventional proton radiotherapy.
Topics: Humans; Female; Breast Neoplasms; Retrospective Studies; Mastectomy, Segmental; Protons; Radiodermatitis; Dose Fractionation, Radiation; Rib Fractures; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated; Pneumonia
PubMed: 36959653
DOI: 10.1186/s13014-023-02213-8 -
Supportive Care in Cancer : Official... Mar 2023Approximately 95% of patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) experience radiation dermatitis (RD). Evidence has suggested that photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) can... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
PURPOSE
Approximately 95% of patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) experience radiation dermatitis (RD). Evidence has suggested that photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) can stimulate skin renewal and minimize RD. The aim of the present paper was to investigate the efficacy of PBMT in RD prevention through a comprehensive literature review.
METHODS
A literature search of Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases was conducted from 1980 to March 2021 to identify RCT on the use of PBMT for RD prevention. Forest plots were developed using RevMan software to quantitatively compare data between studies.
RESULTS
Five papers were identified: four in breast and one in head and neck cancer patients. Patients receiving PBMT experienced less severe RD than the control groups after 40 Gray (Gy) of RT (grade 3 toxicity: Odds Ratio (OR): 0.57, 95% CI 0.14-2.22, p = 0.42) and at the end of RT (grade 0 + 1 vs. 2 + 3 toxicity: OR: 0.28, 95% CI 0.15-0.53, p < 0.0001). RT interruptions due to RD severity were more frequent in the control group (OR: 0.81, 95% CI 0.10-6.58, p = 0.85).
CONCLUSION
Preventive PBMT may be protective against the development of severe grades of RD and reduce the frequency of RT interruptions. Larger sample sizes and other cancer sites at-risk of RD should be evaluated in future studies to confirm the true efficacy of PBMT, also in preventing the onset of RD and to finalize a standardized protocol to optimize the technique. At present, starting PBMT when RT starts is recommendable, as well as performing 2 to 3 laser sessions weekly.
Topics: Humans; Low-Level Light Therapy; Radiodermatitis; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Skin; Breast
PubMed: 36952036
DOI: 10.1007/s00520-023-07673-y -
JAAD Case Reports Apr 2023
PubMed: 36936864
DOI: 10.1016/j.jdcr.2023.01.021