Curcumin for the Prevention of Radiation-induced Dermatitis in Breast Cancer Patients
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2011-04-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Ionizing radiation is a toxic agent and widely accepted form of treatment for various types
of cancer. Despite advances in medical technology, radiation therapy still causes severe
early and late skin effects. Radiation-induced dermatitis occurs in approximately 80% of
patients. Important consequences of radiation-induced dermatitis include impairment of the
quality of a patient's life due to pain and premature interruption of radiation treatment,
which in turn, may be impair good local control of disease. The biological pathways
responsible for acute radiation-induced dermatitis remain unclear. Currently, there is no
standard treatment for the prevention of radiation-induced dermatitis with demonstrated
effectiveness. The aim of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study is to
assess the effectiveness of curcumin for the prevention of acute radiation-induced dermatitis
during postoperative radiotherapy for breast cancer. We hypothesize that curcumin, a natural
phenolic compound found in both turmeric and curry powders, can prevent or alleviate
radiation-induced skin reactions in breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy.