Positive Health Online

Abstract

POMMIER and co-workers, Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Leon Berard, 28 rue Laennec, 69373 Lyon Cedex, 08, France, have conducted a randomized controlled trial of Calendula officinalis in the prevention of skin inflammation during radiotherapy for breast cancer.

Background

There are no data to show the effectiveness of non-steroid agents for preventing the acute dermatitis that occurs as a side-effect of radiotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer. This study compared the effectiveness of calendula cream with a generally accepted treatment, trolamine.

Methodology

254 patients who were to receive radiotherapy for breast cancer were randomly allocated to application of either trolamine (128 patients) or calendula cream (126 patients) on the radiation site after each session. The primary outcome measure was the occurrence of acute dermatitis of grade 2 or higher. Secondary measures were pain, the quantity of topical agent used, and patient satisfaction.

Results

The occurrence of acute dermatitis of grade 2 or higher was significantly lower in the calendula group compared to the trolamine group (41% vs. 63%, p < 0.001). Patients receiving the calendula cream had less frequent interruptions in the radiotherapy and significantly reduced radiation-induced pain. Calendula cream was considered more difficult to apply, but patient satisfaction was greater.

Conclusion

Calendula is a highly effective agent for the prevention of dermatitis and should be proposed to patients undergoing postoperative radiation therapy for breast cancer.

References

Pommier P, Gomez F, Sunyach MP, D Hombres A, Carrie C, Montbarbon X. Phase III randomized trial of Calendula officinalis compared with trolamine for the prevention of acute dermatitis during irradiation for breast cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology 22 (8): 1447-1453, Apr 15, 2004.