Radiodermatitis—An Analysis of 43 Occurrences at Miyazaki Medical College

Abstract

Forty-three cases of acute and chronic radiodermatitis, which occurred in the Department of Dermatology, Miyazaki Medical College between November 1977 and April 1985 were studied. Fifteen were acute and 28 were chronic. All of the original conditions treated presenting acute radiodermatitis were malignancies. Among 28 with chronic radiodermatitis, 17 had been given radiotherapy for benign conditions and 7 cases for malignant lesions. The remaining 4 were of occupational origin. Of the 28 cases with chronic radiodermatitis, histological examination was performed on 23 cases. Chronic radiodermatitis showed the following histological findings; mild atypia in 9 (all poikilodermatous lesions showed at least mild atypia), intra-epidermal carcinoma in 6, squamous cell carcinoma in 7 and sarcoma (malignant fibrous histiocytoma) in 1. The keratotic lesions of radiodermatitis of the hands and feet tended to malignant, as compared to lesions in other areas.