title: The cytoprotective effect of amifostine in acute radiation dermatitis: a retrospective analysis.
abstract: To study the impact of amifostine as a cytoprotective agent against acute radiation dermatitis, we reviewed 220 patient records. One hundred cancer patients, with tumors localised in the pelvis (bladder, rectum, prostatic carcinomas, or gynecological cancer), who received radiotherapy and cytoprotective treatment with intravenous infusion of amifostine (group A) were included in this study. Retrospectively, we randomly selected from a database in our hospital 120 historical controls, who received only radiotherapy without cytoprotection (group B). Mean gross dermatitis score (MGDS) was the mean value of recorded acute radiation dermatitis according to common toxicity criteria. In group A versus B patients, a significantly reduced severity of dermatitis (P < 0.001, Fisher's exact test) and significant reduction of MGDS as well as mean interruption treatment time (P < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U test) was observed. The relative risk of the outcome of the two study groups was 0.23 (95% CI: 0.15 to 0.34). The significant dermato-cytoprotective effect of amifostine noticed in our retrospective analysis warrants further investigation with randomised trials.
authors.affiliation: Aretaieion University Hospital, Radiology Department, Vas. Sofias Avenue 76, 11528, Athens, Greece. jrkouv@otenet.gr
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kouvaris
authors.forename: Vassilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kouloulias
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kokakis
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Matsopoulos
authors.forename: Balafouta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Myrsini
authors.forename: Lambros
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vlahos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004999:Amifostine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D011336:Probability; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011855:Radiodermatitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D004999:Amifostine