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Skin Care in Radiation Oncology pp 1–5Cite as

Scope of the Problem

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Abstract

Skin toxicity caused by radiation treatment is common among cancer patients and can interrupt treatment and compromise local control. Acute reactions such as erythema, dry desquamation, and moist desquamation peak 1–3 weeks after radiation. Late reactions include hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, telangiectasia, fibrosis, edema, atrophy, and ulceration. Contributing patient factors can include site, sex, body mass index, age, ethnicity, sun-reactive skin type, bra or breast size, comorbidities including collagen vascular disease and HIV, smoking, and genetic mutations. Contributing treatment factors can include the expanse of irradiated skin, beam energy, total dose and fractionation, bolus, tangential beams, intensity-modulated radiation, use of radiosensitizers, chemotherapy, and targeted agents.

There is a lack of consensus regarding treatment of these complications and guidelines for use of specific products and agents. Therefore, we recognized the need for a practical guide for the prevention and treatment of radiation dermatitis. This guide is based on our clinical experience and observations as well as evidence where it exists. Our objective is to provide a framework on which to build strategies that will mitigate radiation dermatitis in an era of advancing and evolving technology and the increasing complexity of combining radiation with new systemic and targeted therapies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, 1600 Divisadero St. H1031, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA

    Barbara Fowble MD, FACR, FASTRO

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  1. Barbara Fowble MD, FACR, FASTRO
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Correspondence to Barbara Fowble MD, FACR, FASTRO .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA

    Barbara Fowble

  2. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA

    Sue S. Yom

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA

    Florence Yuen

  4. Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA

    Sarah Arron

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Fowble, B. (2016). Scope of the Problem. In: Fowble, B., Yom, S., Yuen, F., Arron, S. (eds) Skin Care in Radiation Oncology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31460-0_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31460-0_1

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