Objective assessment of dermatitis following post-operative radiotherapy in patients with breast cancer treated with breast-conserving treatment.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To evaluate radiation dermatitis objectively in patients with breast cancer who had undergone post-operative radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Skin color (L*, a*, and b* values) and moisture analyses were performed for both breasts (before, after, 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year after radiotherapy) to examine irradiated and non-irradiated skin divided into four quadrants in 118 patients. These patients underwent breast conservative surgery followed by 50 Gy/25 fractions (median) of radiotherapy with or without boost irradiation (10 Gy/5 fractions).

RESULTS:

L*, a*, and moisture values were changed by irradiation and maximized at completion or 1 month after radiotherapy. One year after radiotherapy, the skin color had returned to the range observed prior to radiotherapy. However, moisture did not return to previous values even 1 year after treatment. The lateral upper side (quadrant C) showed greater changes than other quadrants in the L* value (darker) at the end of radiotherapy. The Common Toxicity Criteria version 3 scores were found to correlate well with a* and L* values at the completion and 1 month after radiotherapy. Boost radiotherapy intensified reddish and darker color changes at the completion of radiotherapy, while chemotherapy did not intensify the skin reaction caused by radiotherapy.

CONCLUSION:

Moisture impairment as a result of irradiation lasts longer than color alterations. Objective assessments are useful for analyzing radiation dermatitis.

• Authors: Ken Yoshida, Hideya Yamazaki, Tadashi Takenaka, Eiichi Tanaka, Tadayuki Kotsuma, Yuka Fujita, Norikazu Masuda, Keiko Kuriyama, Mineo Yoshida, Tsunehiko Nishimura
• Journal: Strahlentherapie und Onkologie : Organ der Deutschen Rontgengesellschaft ... [et al] (Strahlenther Onkol) Vol. 186 Issue 11 Pg. 621-9 (Nov 2010) ISSN: 1439-099X [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 21072624 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Breast Neoplasms (drug therapy, pathology, radiotherapy, surgery)
• Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast (drug therapy, pathology, radiotherapy, surgery)
• Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating (drug therapy, pathology, radiotherapy, surgery)
• Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Dose Fractionation, Radiation
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Ichthyosis (diagnosis)
• Mastectomy, Segmental
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Staging
• Pigmentation Disorders (diagnosis)
• Radiodermatitis (diagnosis)
• Radiotherapy Dosage
• Radiotherapy, Adjuvant