title: Acute radiation dermatitis in breast cancer: topical therapy with vitamin E acetate in lipophilic gel base.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radiotherapy can cause adverse skin reactions over the course of their treatment. Currently, management is based on several tropical products although there is no gold-standard approach to prevention and management of radiation toxicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report our experience of vitamin E acetate in the treatment of radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients who experienced grade 4 side effects (according to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical management consisted of oral antibiotics and local application of vitamin E acetate and local escarectomy. All of the patients achieved complete re-epithelialization within 40 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Skin ulceration and necrosis post-radiation may interrupt oncological treatment in breast cancer patients. In acute radiodermatitis with skin necrosis, we propose the use of oral antibiotics together with escarectomy and the application of vitamin E acetate to facilitate the healing process in order to minimize the interruption to the oncological treatment.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Plastic Surgery.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martella
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rietjens
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lohsiriwat
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lazzari
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vavassori
authors.forename: Ba
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jereczek
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lazzati
authors.forename: Mc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.forename: Jy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petit