Polarized Light Therapy to Reduce Radiation Skin Damage in Women with Breast Cancer Undergoing Hypofractionated Whole-Breast Radiotherapy

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the effects of polarized polychromatic non-coherent light therapy as an addition to standard skin care in reducing acute radiation dermatitis among women with breast cancer undergoing hypofractionated whole-breast radiotherapy. Acute radiation dermatitis, a common side effect of breast cancer radiotherapy, can range from mild redness to severe skin damage and may reduce patient comfort and treatment adherence. The study will compare standard skin care alone to combined treatment with polarized light therapy to assess if the light therapy can improve skin outcomes. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups one receiving standard skin care plus polarized light therapy, and the other receiving standard skin care alone. The light therapy will be delivered using the Bioptron Light Therapy System, applied three times weekly from the first day of radiotherapy through the course of treatment, which lasts about three weeks with 15-16 fractions totaling 40-42.5 Gy. Standard skin care involves gentle washing, hydration, and protective measures against skin irritation. Participants will undergo evaluations including ultrasound measurements of skin thickness and clinical assessment of radiation dermatitis severity using Radiation Therapy Oncology Group RTOG criteria at baseline, during treatment at weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8, and at a 2-month follow-up. The study will monitor changes in skin inflammation and healing, aiming to determine if polarized light therapy can delay progression and improve skin recovery. The total participation spans the radiotherapy course plus follow-up assessments extending to about 10 weeks.

Polarized Light Therapy for Radiation Dermatitis in Breast Cancer