Radiation dermatitis: implicated factors, clinical aspects, possible prevention, and medical care

The increasing incidence of cancer is due to many factors. Among them quite significant is considered the rising proportion of older people in the population and the modern methods of early diagnosis. Radiotherapy (RT), along with surgery and chemotherapy, is a major therapeutic modality in the management of cancer. In the context of current treatment methods and practice, approximately half of the patients with cancer will receive RT at some stage of their illness. RT can lead to cure some kinds of cancer but it can also be delivered for palliation. Unfortunately, skin damage is a complication affecting by and large all patients receiving external beam RT. In order to minimize the risk of this damage it would be helpful to know the complex underlying molecular mechanisms and evaluate the related clinical symptoms, not only for medical but also for psychological reasons related to the patient. The purpose of this article was to review the current approaches to this particular clinical condition, in order to realize an effective patient-oriented clinical practice and keep this radiation-induced complication as low as possible.