Vitamin D ointment for prevention of radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients

Abstract

Radiation: Vitamin D not great for skin protection Vitamin D ointment is no better than urea cream at preventing radiation-induced skin damage in breast cancer patients. Researchers in Israel led by Eyal Fenig from the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva studied 23 women with localized breast cancer who underwent breast-conserving surgery and received adjuvant radiation to destroy any tumor cells left behind. Each day after their radiation therapy, the women applied an active vitamin D analog called calcipotriol (Daivonex) to half of their irradiated breast and a skin-hydrating, urea-containing ointment called Aqua cream to the other half of the same breast. The topical vitamin D ointment was well tolerated by the study participants. However, there was no noticeable difference in the effect of calcipotriol or Aqua cream for the vast majority of the women.