Early radiation reactions of the skin in patients with breast cancer: modifying effects of retinol and nonadjuvant polychemotherapy

The aim of the study was to assess the radiomidifying effect of retinol during radiotherapy of breast cancer. Only skin changes on the involved side exposed to electron beam of 15 MeV energy of betatron B5M-25 on a standard 4x12 cm field were taken into consideration. Radiation reaction of the skin appeared later and wamore expressed at the end of treatment in patients aged over 65. Analysis of the time of manifestation and rate of the progress of early radiation reactions of the skin in women aged under 65 confirmed the detected regularity: hyperemia manifested reliable later in patients who later developed wet epidermitris, but progressed more rapidly than in patients with less expressed reaction. Refs. 13, figs. 5