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COPYRIGHT 2004 International Medical News Group
WASHINGTON -- Emollients and hydrogels are effective for treating radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients--as long as these topicals don't delay or interrupt radiation therapy, Dr. Sharon R. Hymes said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Topicals containing metals such as zinc and silver must be avoided completely in these patients. And no cream or gel should be applied to the skin site during the 4 hours prior to radiation treatment.
"By using [topicals] when the patient is still undergoing radiation therapy, you can change the dose of radiation they're receiving. If you're going to use those kinds of dressings, you need to wait until after they're Finished with radiation," said Dr. Hymes of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston.
Antibiotics also may be necessary, she said. "I do a lot of culturing of these people. If they're [developing a staphylococcus infection], I absolutely treat it."
If wound drainage is minimal, another treatment option is Biafine, a trolamine cream often used to promote healing in burn patients, she said. Studies showed that Biafine RE (radiodermatitis emulsion) isn't radioprotective, but the cream does have benefits: It's a macrophage cell stimulator, promotes fibroblast proliferation, and may decrease some of the markers of vascular damage.
"The bottom line is, patients seem to like [Biafine]--it's an oil and water...
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