Hemoglobin Concentration as an Indicator of Skin Radiation Damage During Radiation Therapy Treatments.

Purpose: Acute radiation dermatitis (ARD) is the most common side effect reported by patients undergoing radiation therapy (RT). Currently, the assessment of the severity of the reaction is based on the visual assessment of the skin, which is a subjective method, depending on many factors. The main aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in the assessment of ARD and find physiological factors that could be correlated with ARD.

Potential Use of Novel Image and Signal Processing Methods to Develop a Quantitative Assessment of the Severity of Acute Radiation Dermatitis in Breast Cancer Radiotherapy.

More than 95% of patients who undergo radiotherapy report symptoms of radiation dermatitis, which is a side effect of this therapy. Erythema, edema, dry and moist desquamation intensify with each fraction of irradiation and can significantly reduce a patient's quality of life. Therefore, an effective skin care procedure is needed for skin that has been exposed to ionizing radiation in order to avoid unplanned treatment interruptions.

Overview of the Active Ingredients in Cosmetic Products for the Care of Skin That Has Been Exposed to Ionizing Radiation - Analysis of Their Effectiveness in Breast Cancer Radiotherapy.

Treatment that uses ionizing radiation is one of the most common therapeutic methods in case of breast cancer. However, it often results in radiation dermatitis, which manifests itself, among others, as erythema, burning, itching and pain as well as dry or moist desquamation of the epidermis in the irradiated areas. The intensity of these symptoms significantly reduces the patient's quality of life, which could affect the effectiveness of the entire therapy.