TITLE:
Quantitative Assessment of Chronic Skin Reactions Including Erythema and Pigmentation after Breast Conserving Therapy
AUTHORS:
Miho Kawashima, Miwako Nozaki, Kazuhiro Komazaki, Ryuko Yamamuro, Kazuo Ishizuna, Makoto Kojima
KEYWORDS:
Breast Cancer, Erythema Index, Melanin Index, Breast-Conserving Therapy
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Breast Cancer Research,
Vol.5 No.3,
July
8,
2016
ABSTRACT: Purpose: To evaluate long-term skin reactions following breast-conserving
therapy by using the melanin-erythema index meter. Patients and Methods: 164
patients were followed for at least three years after breast-conserving
therapy. For both the erythema and the melanin indices, the ratio of the
irradiated-side index to the non-irradiated-side index was calculated. The time
course of index ratios alternation was examined. Influences from additional
therapies and patients’ age were also evaluated. Result: Both erythema and
melanin index ratios of the breast skin were recovered to pre-radiation level
three years after radiotherapy. However, both index ratios of the area
administrated with 10-Gy boost irradiation were still high even after five
years after radiotherapy. Endocrine therapy, chemotherapy and age had no
significant influence on skin color reactions three years after radiotherapy.
Conclusion: Quantitative assessment using the melanin-erythema index meter
demonstrated that chronic skin reactions following breast conserving therapy
had recovered to pre-radiation level for three years after irradiation except
for the 10-Gy boost irradiated area.