Engaging patients with radiation related skin discomfort in self-care.

Can Oncol Nurs J

Vice Dean Faculty Affairs and Diversity, University of Texas Health Sciences Center San Antonio, School of Nursing, San Antonio, USA, 78248, , Email:

Published: July 2018

Background: Patients receiving radiation to the breast can suffer painful, moist desquamation of the axilla and inframammary fold. Intensity of skin reactions will vary with each individual and be dependent on the total dose of radiation, treatment volume, daily fraction size, energy and type of radiation, as well as other personal factors (Gosselin, 2010). Treatment-related skin reactions make it difficult for women to wear clothing and undergarments comfortably and to perform daily activities. InterDry AG is a textile dressing with an antimicrobial complex that wicks away excess moisture and reduces friction, itching, and burning. Despite showing highly beneficial properties, there is no current published evidence indicating the utility of InterDry Ag for radiation skin reactions.

Purpose: This project evaluated the potential utility of InterDry Ag dressing to relieve discomfort of skin reactions for breast cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment.

Methods: A descriptive design was employed to better understand the effectiveness of InterDry Ag dressing in reducing side effects of radiation treatment of the breast for women. Twenty eligible participants consented to participate. A radiation oncology nurse evaluated its effect every five days, utilizing a skin assessment questionnaire developed by the nursing team from clinical observations.

Results: A personalized skin care regimen was developed with each patient's feedback. A trusting relationship was developed between the nurse and patient by building rapport that indicated nursing care support. Some women began sharing their emotional stressors with nurses, as well as the physical pain they were experiencing due to the skin reactions. This observation resulted in provision of additional resources for women and engaging them in self-care using a patient-centred approach.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6516919PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.5737/23688076283191200DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

skin reactions
16
radiation
8
skin
8
radiation skin
8
radiation treatment
8
utility interdry
8
interdry dressing
8
engaging patients
4
patients radiation
4
skin discomfort
4

Similar Publications

An Autoethnographic Account of Familial Mediterranean Fever: A Turkish Patient's Discovery of Spiritual Meaning.

J Relig Health

January 2025

Psychiatric Nursing Department, Gulhane Faculty of Nursing, University of Health Sciences, Turkiye, 06010, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey.

Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a genetic autoinflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent febrile episodes that are accompanied by pain in the abdomen, chest, or joints caused by peritonitis, pleuritis, skin lesions, arthritis, and pericarditis. This original article aims to provide an analytic autoethnographic account of a Turkish patient's experience of FMF, with a focus on the discovery of spiritual meaning. In addition to discussing the grief reactions to a loss of health, the article uses self-reflexive discourse and narrative-based analysis to explore four stages of discovery of spiritual meaning through FMF: "omnipotent me," "God's punishment," "God's test," and "God's mercy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Rosacea-like skin reaction under treatment with dupilumab for atopic dermatitis.

J Dermatolog Treat

December 2025

Institute for Health Services Research in Dermatology and Nursing (IVDP), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany.

Purpose: Dupilumab is a widely recommended treatment for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD), with known ocular side effects but less frequent cutaneous reactions.

Material And Methods: This case report details a 52-year-old female patient with atopic dermatitis treated with dupilumab. After an initially successful treatment, the patient developed a rosacea-like dermatitis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dithranol is one of the most effective topical medications for treating plaque psoriasis. However, its clinical use is limited by irritative adverse reactions to the skin, such as oedema, erythema, and pruritus, caused by poorly understood mechanisms. Because TRPV1 activation mediates skin irritation caused by several drugs, we conducted blind and randomised experiments in male and female C57BL/6 mice to elucidate the role of TRPV1 in dithranol-induced irritation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Loss of skin integrity due to a wound or disease can lead to severe disability or even life threat. The highly expressed microRNAs in the skin are of great significance for skin development. The investigation purposed to explore the effect and mechanism of miR-211 on inflammation, oxidative stress and migration in keratinocytes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Patent Blue V (PBV) is extensively used in sentinel lymph node identification in cancer surgery, potentially leading to an increased incidence of hypersensitivity reactions. A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with suspected PBV hypersensitivity, at our center from 2010 to 2023. Skin prick tests (SPT) were performed on all patients, followed by intradermal tests (IDT) if SPT was negative.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!