Onkológia 5/2024

Postradiation dermatitis: Prevention and treatment options

Radiotherapy is a fundamental pillar of anti-cancer treatment used alongside systematic oncological treatment. Radiation-induced dermatitis (RID), which affects approximately 95% of patients with various degrees of severity, is its most common adverse effect. In severe cases the RID can significantly diminish the quality of life or can cause a premature termination of treatment with early recurrence of the disease. It may also contribute to the development of secondary malignancies in the irradiated field and increase the healthcare costs by prolonging the patient’s hospital stay. This review provides a detailed discussion on the pathophysiology, classification, risk factors, preventive measures, and treatment strategies for RID. Special attention is given to the modern approaches such as barrier films, which are currently used to a lesser extent in Slovakia. Additionally, the article addresses controversial findings regarding prevention and treatment strategies.

Keywords: radiotherapy, dermatitis, prevention, therapy