Daily baseline skin care in the prevention, treatment, and supportive care of skin toxicity in oncology patients: recommendations from a multinational expert panel

Abstract

Skin reactions due to radiotherapy and chemotherapy are a significant problem for an important number of cancer patients. While effective for treating cancer, they disturb cutaneous barrier function, causing a reaction soon after initiation of treatment that impacts patient quality of life. Managing these symptoms with cosmetics and nonpharmaceutical skin care products for camouflage or personal hygiene may be important for increasing patient self-esteem. However, inappropriate product choice or use could worsen side effects. Although recommendations exist for the pharmaceutical treatment of skin reactions, there are no recommendations for the choice or use of dermatologic skin care products for oncology patients. The present guidelines were developed by a board of European experts in dermatology and oncology to provide cancer care professionals with guidance for the appropriate use of non-pharmaceutical, dermocosmetic skin care management of cutaneous toxicities associated with radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy, including epidermal growth factor inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies. The experts hope that these recommendations will improve the management of cutaneous side effects and hence quality of life for oncology patients.

Keywords:

• skin care
• cosmetic
• dermatological toxicity
• folliculitis
• xerosis
• chemotherapy
• radiotherapy
• supportive care
• cancer
• consensus

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge Amy Whereat and Karl Patrick Göritz for their assistance in writing and editing this manuscript.

Disclosure

This guideline was funded by La Roche-Posay Laboratoire Pharmaceutique, France. All authors except for RJB are members of the scientific advisory board of La Roche-Posay Laboratoire Pharmaceutique, France. SS and AR are employees of La Roche-Posay Laboratoire Pharmaceutique, France. All members of the expert panel received honoraria for their contribution to this work. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.