title: Skin treatment with bepanthen cream versus no cream during radiotherapy--a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: In several radiotherapy departments, dexpanthenol cream (Bepanthen 'Roche') has been used extensively to ameliorate acute radiotherapy skin reactions. The evidence base for this practice is obscure as no randomized trials have been performed. In the present clinical prospective study of 86 patients we have compared Bepanthen cream with no topical ointment at all. The cream was applied on randomly selected parts of treatment fields in laryngeal and breast cancer patients, and so each patient acted as his own control. Seven patients were withdrawn from analysis. Scoring of skin reactions in 16 laryngeal and 63 breast cancer patients was performed without knowledge of which area that had been given cream or not. Endpoints were a modified skin reaction grading according to EORTC/RTOG, and itching/pain in treated fields. The study did not indicate any clinically important benefits of using Bepanthen cream for ameliorating radiogenic skin reactions under the conditions applied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Løkkevik
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skovlund
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Reitan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hannisdal
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tanum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D004890:Erythema / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D010205:Pantothenic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011537:Pruritus / Q000517:prevention & control; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010205:Pantothenic Acid; C007288:dexpanthenol