Prevalent Types of Peristomal Skin Damage During Chemoradiotherapy and Their Risk Factors

Colorectal cancer is currently ranked third in terms of the global cancer incidence. Enterostomy, a common surgical procedure for colorectal cancer treatment, creates a temporary or permanent stoma in the abdominal wall for waste excretion. Cancer itself and the associated treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, increase the likelihood of various types of peristomal skin damage.

Recent research has focused on developing more targeted treatment approaches for peristomal moisture-associated skin damage (P-MASD). In addition, studies are investigating the potential of novel wound care products and therapies to enhance healing and reduce the risk of complications. There is also growing interest in understanding the different types except P-MASD during chemoradiotherapy. Different types match the varied treatments. Thus, we aimed to comprehensively review the most prevalent types of peristomal skin damage during chemoradiotherapy and their associated risk factors.

The five prevalent types of peristomal skin damage that occur during chemoradiotherapy are peristomal radiodermatitis, P-MASD, peristomal acneiform rash, peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum, and peristomal abscess/infection/fistula. The risk factors vary depending on the type; however, they include the radiation dose, ileostomy surgery, chemoradiotherapy-associated diarrhea, use of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, inflammatory bowel disease, and unclear factors.

This review guides the clinical identification of peristomal skin damage during chemoradiotherapy, laying a solid foundation for developing effective strategies to prevent this condition.