Changes in Skin Surface Temperature and Erythema Intensity during and after Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer Patients

抄録

The aim of this study was to measure two parameters concerning the severity of acute radiodermatitis and to investigate the clinical relevance of the measurement, considering the implication of preventive and protective skin-care for the radiodermatitis. The subjects were five patients with breast cancer who underwent postoperative radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery. Skin surface temperature (SST) and erythema intensity (EI) within the irradiated fields were measured twice, during radiotherapy and one month after. The measurement during radiotherapy was performed in the last week of radiotherapy, and the irradiated dose ranged from 44 to 48 Gy. For the contralateral breast, measurement was also performed as a control. The SST during radiotherapy was 1.1±0.7 (average±standard deviation), and that after radiotherapy 1.0±0.3. The EI during radiotherapy was 101±44, and that after radiotherapy 85±55. No significant difference in the values during and after radiotherapy was observed for each of the parameters. Inflammation of the irradiated skin tissues appeared to continue even one month after radiotherapy. Therefore it was suggested that skin-care is needed for a certain period following radiotherapy as well as during the therapy in order to prevent the condition of irradiated skin becoming worse.