Lack of Prophylactic Effects of Aloe Vera Gel on Radiation Induced Dermatitis in Breast Cancer Patients

Ahmadloo, Niloofar; Kadkhodaei, Behnam; Omidvari, Shapour; Mosalaei, Ahmad; Ansari, Mansour; Nasrolahi, Hamid; Hamedi, Sayed Hasan; Mohammadianpanah, Mohammad

doi:10.22034/APJCP.2017.18.4.1139

Lack of Prophylactic Effects of Aloe Vera Gel on Radiation Induced Dermatitis in Breast Cancer Patients

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

¹ Department of Radiation Oncology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

² Student Research Committee, Resident of Radiation Oncology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

³ Breast Diseases Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

⁴ Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

⁵ Colorectal Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

10.22034/APJCP.2017.18.4.1139

Abstract

Purpose: Radiotherapy induced dermatitis is a common and sometimes serious side effect. We conducted a randomized study to understand whether the adjunctive use of aloe vera gel might reduce the prevalence and/or severity of radiotherapy induced dermatitis. Methods: One hundred patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer were randomized to receive aloe vera gel or nothing during adjuvant radiotherapy consisting of conventional external beam radiation using 6 MV mega voltage linear accelerator photons. The radiation portals were composed of breast fields in all patients and supraclavicular and posterior axillary fields in node positive cases. The total dose was 50 Gy with a daily fraction of 2 Gy, five fractions per week. Results: Dermatitis was first found among patients of both groups after week 2. In the aloe vera and control groups, 2/8 patients and 5/12 patients had dermatitis grade 1 after weeks 2 (P value = 0.240) and 3 (P value = 0.317). After the 4th week, the numbers were 18 and, 23 fordermatitis grade 1 and only 1 for grade 3 dermatitis (P value = 0.328). After the 5th week, 31, 12 and 2 patients in the aloe vera group and 36, 6 and 5 of the controls had grades 1, 2 and 3 dermatitis, respectively (P value = 0.488). Conclusion: Aloe vera exerted no positive effect on prevalence orseverity of radiation dermatitis in this study.

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