2013 Volume 30 Issue 1 Pages 27-30
[PURPOSE] To estimate clinical application of shiunko for reducing complications related to cancer treatment, such as radiation-induced dermatitis and hand-foot syndrome induced by molecular target drugs.
[METHODS] Patients involved in this study were as follows: 1. Thirty-one patients with simple scalp dermatitis induced by radiotherapy for brain tumors; 2. Nine patients with severe dermatitis from concurrent treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cancers including nasopharyngeal cancer; 3. Prophylactic usage of shiunko in four patients with radiation-induced scalp dermatitis; and 4. Six patients with dermal complications caused by molecular target drugs including hand-foot syndrome. Shiunko was applied in the same manner as in the treatment with standard ointment. The efficacy was evaluated with the improvement rate of the symptoms: excellent (more than 80%), good (more than 50%), fair (less than 50%), and no effect (less than 30%).
[RESULTS] Favorable therapeutic effects were observed in all patients. Shiunko not only showed prominent analgesic effects in all cases, which were not achieved in corticosteroid treatment, but also promoted healing in areas eroded by radiation. The patients with hand-foot syndrome gave the highest evaluations for moisturizing and analgesic effects.
[CONCLUSION] Shiunko is expected to be an effective ointment for treating scalp dermatitis caused by radiation and dermal complications induced by molecular target drugs.
