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Radiodermatitis prevention with sucralfate in breast cancer: fundamental and clinical studies

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Abstract

Background

Acute radiodermatitis induced by radiotherapy may affect the quality of life and in some cases requires withholding treatment. The present study concerns the protective effect of a 1% sucralfate lotion. We propose joint fundamental and clinical points of view.

Methods

The free radical scavenging capacity of sucralfate was measured with electron spin resonance and was supported by theoretical calculations. The clinical effects of sucralfate lotion were evaluated on 21 women treated for breast cancer. Breast skin response was evaluated at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 Gy, according to (1) the radiation therapy oncology group (RTOG) acute toxicity scale and (2) spectrophotometry data obtained with X-Rite SP60.

Results and conclusions

Sucralfate appeared as a relatively poor free radical scavenger (compared to reference compounds such as vitamin E). The sucralfate-containing lotion used in the present study did not provide systematic radiodermatitis prevention. Spectrophotometric evaluation of the skin response to irradiation appeared to be a very effective and more sensitive technique than the RTOG scale. Its use should be recommended to study cutaneous radioprotective action.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the “Conseil Régional du Limousin” for financial support and IDRIS (Institut du Développement et des Ressources Informatiques Scientifiques, Orsay, Paris) and CALI (CAlcul en LImousin) for computing facilities. The authors are grateful to Sylvie Gautier, Jeanne Cook-Moreau and Alain Simon for helpful discussions that have helped to improve the quality of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Radiothérapie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 2 rue du Docteur Marcland, 87025, Limoges, France

    Sabrina Falkowski & Pierre Clavère

  2. EA4021, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Limoges, 2 rue du Docteur Marcland, 87025, Limoges, France

    Patrick Trouillas & Jean-Luc Duroux

  3. Service de Dermatologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 2 rue du Docteur Marcland, 87025, Limoges, France

    Jean-Marie Bonnetblanc

Authors
  1. Sabrina Falkowski
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  2. Patrick Trouillas
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  3. Jean-Luc Duroux
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  4. Jean-Marie Bonnetblanc
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  5. Pierre Clavère
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrick Trouillas.

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Falkowski, S., Trouillas, P., Duroux, JL. et al. Radiodermatitis prevention with sucralfate in breast cancer: fundamental and clinical studies. Support Care Cancer 19, 57–65 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-009-0788-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-009-0788-y

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