Media release

Mangaluru, Oct 16: Radiation is important for the treatment for cancer and according to estimates, close to 70% of patients receive radiation therapy at some point during the course of their disease. However radiation-induced skin burns is a common side effect in patients undergoing radiotherapy. Estimates are that about 60-75% of all patients receiving radiotherapy experience very moderate skin reaction. However in some cases, the skin reaction is severe and blisters can be formed. Factors like genetic predisposition, general health, ethnic origin, and co morbidity like diabetes, hypertension, and history of allergies are known to play a role.

Aloe Vera plant

Currently, there are no effective or standard treatment options to prevent or reduce radiation skin injury and the prescriptions differ considerably between physicians and across hospitals. In most cases the preventive topical agents being recommended for skin care are adopted from conventional skin care products. The use of preventive topical agents is largely anecdotal and the ones recommended for skin care are predominately adopted from the conventional skin care protocols. Some of the commonly used prophylactic agents include the use of steroidal, non-steroidal and metallic topical preparations and dressings.

Mangalore Institute of Oncology 

At Mangalore Institute of Oncology (MIO), Dr Suresh Rao the Head of Radiation Oncology and Director of the Institute conducted an observational study to assess the protective effects of the Indian garden plant Aloe Vera in preventing radiation skin burns in Head and Neck cancer patients.

Aloe Vera, which is known as Lolisara in Kannada is one of the most famous plants in India and abroad in skin care. Historical anecdotes indicate that the Greek traditional healers and apothecarist regarded it as a ‘Universal Panacea’ while the Egyptians called it as the ‘the plant of immortality’.

Dr Suresh Rao

The results showed that application of the Aloe Vera based creams delayed the development and reduced the severity of the radiation dermatitis. The patients also had reduced incidences of skin pain and itching due to Aloe Vera's anti-inflammatory effects. Dr Rao said that this observation, which is the first in the world has a lot implication in cancer treatment and to reduce patient's radiation-induced skin itching and pain.