Heyer, Elizabeth, Laffin, Nadine, Smyth, Wendy, Gardner, Anne, Abernethy, Gail, and Fasugba, Oyebola (2013) Do patients receiving radiation treatment for breast cancer in a tropical setting prefer to use a barrier cream or a moisturising cream as part of their skin care regimen? Results from a randomised controlled trial. Annals of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine, 14 (1). p. 16.

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Abstract

Background/Aims: Radiation oncology nurses routinely recommend preventative skin care products to patients receiving treatment. Despite many trials related to acute radiation skin reactions, few have explored the patients' acceptability of recommended products. A nurse-led randomised controlled trial comparing two products in patients receiving radiation treatment for breast cancer sought this perspective. The aim of this study was to ascertain if a barrier cream is more acceptable than a moisturising cream to patients receiving radiation treatment.

Methods: Patients recruited to the Radiation Therapy Skin Care Trial (N=255) were randomised to receive either the moisturising cream or a barrier cream. Participants completed an Acceptability Survey each week during treatment, and one month after treatment ended. Acceptability was operationally defined as a score of at least 4 on five specific questions on the Acceptability Survey (ease of application, smell, whether the cream felt comfortable, built up on the skin or affected clothing). The patients' perspective on additional attributes of the creams was also ascertained.

Results: Participants preferred the barrier cream over the moisturiser (p=0.02); both creams were equally comfortable on the skin. Whilst the moisturiser was more likely to build up, it was better at relieving skin dryness.

Conclusion: Although the barrier cream was preferred overall by the participants, both creams were highly acceptable and on this basis either product could be offered to patients. Future patients may need to consider other factors, such as the product cost, availability, and effectiveness in reducing the severity of acute radiation skin reactions when choosing skin care products.

Item ID:	30867
Item Type:	Article (Abstract)
ISSN:	1448-4706
Date Deposited:	04 Feb 2014 02:24
FoR Codes:	11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1110 Nursing > 111003 Clinical Nursing: Secondary (Acute Care) @ 100%
SEO Codes:	92 HEALTH > 9299 Other Health > 929999 Health not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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