The effect of moisturizers on acute radiation dermatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of moisturizers in preventing acute radiation dermatitis (ARD) in patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT).

We searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science databases for literature from inception until August 26, 2025, identifying 13 randomized controlled trials that explored the impact of moisturizers on ARD. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.3 and STATA 15 software. The Cochrane risk of Bias tool (RoB 2.0) was used to evaluate the risk of bias in the included studies.

The primary outcomes measured included the severity of ARD, and the secondary outcomes were skin-related quality of life, pruritus symptoms, and skin water content. From 1430 records screened, 13 studies were included investigating the effectiveness of moisturizers in patients undergoing RT. A total of 1203 patients with breast cancer or head and neck cancer were involved, including 603 patients in the intervention group and 600 patients in the control group. Results indicated that the probability of not developing ARD was higher in the moisturizer group compared to the control group (RR = 1.73, 95% CI [1.11-2.70], P = .02). The incidence of pruritus was lower in the moisturizer group than in the control group (RR = 0.69, 95% CI [0.53-0.90], P = .007), with a significantly lower probability of severe pruritus (≥ Grade 2) (RR = 0.06, 95% CI [0.01-0.67], P = .02). However, there were no statistically significant differences between the moisturizer and control groups regarding quality of life and water content.

Current evidence suggests that the use of moisturizers may have a positive effect on radiation dermatitis.