Skin care management in cancer patients: an evaluation of quality of life and tolerability

Skin care management in cancer patients: an evaluation of quality of life and tolerability

April 2011

Ann Cameron Haley, Cara Calahan, Mona Gandhi, Dennis P. West, Alfred Rademaker,and Mario E. Lacouture

Abstract

^{Keywords:  Skin care, Chemotherapy, Cancer, Dry skin, Radiation therapy, Skin irrations, HFSR}
Purpose: The objective of this study is to evaluate quality of life (QoL) and tolerability of three articles specifically developed for cancer skin care management (skin moisturizer, face moisturizer, and face wash).

Methods: Participants were cancer patients (n=99) receiving systemic anticancer therapies and/or radiotherapy at Northwestern University. Subjects were assessed at the initial visit for adverse skin reactions based on the National Cancer Institute’s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 3.0 and completed the Skindex-16 questionnaire, a self-reported dermatology-specific QoL instrument. All subjects were provided with three test articles and were instructed to use each test article once daily for 4 weeks. At the 4-week follow-up (n=77), the Skindex-16 was readministered, adverse skin reactions were assessed, and tolerability questionnaires were administered for each article used.

Results: Dry skin, hand–foot skin reaction (HFSR), and skin rash (dermatitis) decreased significantly from baseline to follow-up. Presence of nail changes, skin rash (desquamation), and acne/acneiform eruptions did not significantly change from baseline. Subjects had a significantly lower mean overall Skindex-16 score at 4-week follow-up when compared to baseline. Most patients rated their overall experience with each test article as good or very good (highest rating).

Conclusion: Skin care in cancer patients is suboptimal in part due to a lack of products and knowledge specific for this population. Our findings suggest that QoL improves with test article use, all of which were rated as good/very good for tolerability. Moreover, skin toxicity as manifested by dry skin, hand-foot skin reaction, and skin rash (dermatitis) were decreased with use of test articles within 4 weeks.

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NIH - Springer

Complex Decongestive Physiotherapy Treats Skin Changes like Hyperkeratosis Caused by Lymphedema.

2012

Kaba H, Bakar Y, Ozdemir OÇ, Sertel S.

Source

School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Abant Izzet Baysal University, 14280 Bolu, Turkey.

Abstract

Lymphedema is a chronic, progressive, and often debilitating condition. Primary lymphedema is a lymphatic malformation developing during the later stage of lymph angiogenesis. Secondary lymphedema is the result of obstruction or disruption of the lymphatic system, which can occur as a consequence of tumors, surgery, trauma, infection, inflammation, and radiation therapy. Here, we report a 64-year-old woman presenting with hyperkeratosis, a lymphedema due to metastatic uterus carcinoma. In this paper, we present the effects of complex decongestive physiotherapy on lymphedema and hyperkeratosis.

PubMed

Psoriasis Images

Psoriasis Images

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Arm

Safety and efficacy of personal care products containing colloidal oatmeal.

2012

Criquet M, Roure R, Dayan L, Nollent V, Bertin C.

Source

Johnson & Johnson Santé Beauté France, Issy les Moulineaux, France.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Colloidal oatmeal is a natural ingredient used in the formulation of a range of personal care products for relief of skin dryness and itchiness. It is also used as an adjunctive product in atopic dermatitis. The safety of personalcare products used on vulnerable skin is of particular importance and the risk of developing further skin irritations and/or allergies should be minimized.

METHODS:

In a series of studies, we tested the safety of personal care products containing oatmeal (creams, cleansers, lotions) by assessing their irritant/allergenic potential on repeat insult patch testing, in safety-in-use and ocular studies using subjects with nonsensitive and sensitive skin. We also tested the skin moisturizing and repair properties of an oatmeal-containing skin care product for dry skin.

RESULTS:

We found that oatmeal-containing personal care products had very low irritant potential as well as a very low allergenic sensitization potential. Low-level reactions were documented in 1.0% of subjects during the induction phase of repeat insult patch testing; one of 2291 subjects developed a persistent but doubtful low-level reaction involving edema during the challenge phase in repeat insult patch testing. No allergies were reported by 80 subjects after patch testing after in-use application. Sustained skin moisturizing was documented in subjects with dry skin that lasted up to 2 weeks after product discontinuation.

CONCLUSION:

Our results demonstrate that colloidal oatmeal is a safe and effective ingredient in 

Dove Press