Can Oral Traditional Chinese Medicine Be a New Option for Improving Acute Radiation Dermatitis? A Case Report of a Breast Cancer Patient

Abstract

Over 90% of cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy suffer from the distressing effects of acute radiation dermatitis (ARD), with breast cancer patients being particularly affected. Although there are conventional preventive, care, and treatment plans for ARD, there is still a need for improvement. The efficacy of oral application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in treating ARD is rarely discussed in existing medical literature. Here, we report the case of an 86-year-old female with invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast, who developed ARD 2 weeks after undergoing radiation therapy following surgery. Despite the use of conventional medications orally and topically, symptoms showed no significant improvement. After 2 months of oral TCM, the symptoms improved from Grade II to normal. This clinical case provides a new perspective that oral TCM can also improve ARD.

Keywords

• radiation therapy
• acute radiation dermatitis
• breast cancer
• traditional chinese medicine
• traditional chinese herbal medicine