title: Radiation therapy toxicity to the skin.
abstract: Radiation therapy has been integral to cancer patient care. The skin is an intentional and unintentional target of therapy, and is sensitive to the volume of normal tissue in the radiation therapy treatment field, daily treatment dose (fractionation), and total treatment dose. We must understand the relationship of these factors to patient outcome as we move toward hypofractionation treatment strategies (radiosurgery). Chemotherapy agents and prescription medications may influence therapy-associated sequelae. Understanding this may prevent significant injury and discomfort. This article reviews established platforms of radiation therapy and sequelae associated with skin therapy. Interactions with other agents and possible predisposition to sequelae are reviewed. Skin cancer resulting from treatment and disease processes associated with possible limited outcome are also reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology and The Cancer Center, The University of Massachusetts Medical School, UMass Memorial Health Care, 55 Lake Avenue N., Worcester, MA 01655, USA. fitzgert@ummhc.org
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: Maryann Bishop
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Jodoin
authors.forename: Gayle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tillman
authors.forename: Jesse
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aronowitz
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pieters
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balducci
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: M Giulia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Cicchetti
authors.forename: Sidney
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kadish
authors.forename: Shelagh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McCauley
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sawicka
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urie
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mayo
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ulin
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Britton
authors.forename: Jiayi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arous
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D017592:Skin Care; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents