AFTER CANCER: AFTEREFFECTS INVOLVING THE SKIN. RADIATION AND SKIN

March 2009
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Posted by admin on March 12, 2009

How Does Chemotherapy Affect the Skin?

Chemotherapy can affect the skin by

• causing direct changes in the skin cells

• causing changes to blood vessels under the skin

• exacerbating preexisting skin conditions

• allowing skin infections to develop that are normally prevented by a healthy immune system

How Does Radiation Affect the Skin?

Radiation can affect the skin by

• causing changes to exposed skin

• causing changes to the blood vessels under the skin

If I Have Skin Changes from My Radiation, How Long Will They Last?

Skin changes that can occur during and soon after radiation include

• redness

• sensitivity or discomfort •warmth

• blisters

• skin breakdown

How long the skin changes last will depend on

• the area radiated (the back, the armpit, the groin, and the hands are more sensitive to the changes of radiation)

• the total dose of radiation received

• the type of radiation received

• previous surgery or concomitant chemotherapy

• infection

What Are Late Skin Changes of Radiation?

Changes in the skin that occur months to years following radiation include

• thinning of the skin

• contracture (tightening) of the skin

• telangiectasia (tiny red blood vessels seen on the skin)

• darkening or lightening compared to nonradiated skin

• problem with trauma-induced bruising or tearing

• slower, poorer healing after surgery or cuts

What If My Skin Is Dry?

After cancer therapy your skin may be dry because of

• injury, permanent or temporary, to the oil apparatus of the skin

• sensitivity to drying agents (water, soaps)

What Is Radiation Recall?

Radiation can cause permanent, if invisible, changes in the radiated skin, such that when you receive chemotherapy the area of skin previously radiated develops a reaction. If you received radiation to your shoulder, and years from now you took chemotherapy, you would have a chance of developing a reaction in the skin overlying your shoulder. This would depend on how much radiation you received, the chemotherapeutic agents used, and other factors, as yet unclear.