Assessing Skin and Blood Factor Changes During Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancers

Abstract

Background: Head and neck cancers account for 2 to 5% of body cancers and radiotherapy is one of the treatments for these conditions. Cancer cells eventually die after repeated injuries by radiation in various treatment sessions, but unlike cancer cells, repair and replacement of normal cells happens between treatment sessions. In these patients, the most important complications are skin and blood complications. The occurrence of these complications may cause interruption of treatment by physicians’ order or patients’ request. Discontinuation of treatment may result in disturbance of tumor cells destruction that is the main purpose of radiotherapy. Purpose: The aim of this article is to evaluate the skin and blood factor changes during radiotherapy. Method: In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated 60 patients include 22 female and 38 male patients who underwent neck and head radiotherapy from March 2019 to March 2021 in Sanandaj, west of Iran. The rate and intensity of acute skin complications were recorded according to the RTOG (radiation therapy oncology group) scoring system. Results: Mitotic catastrophes occur in blood cells, and bone marrow suppression happens concurrently and without replacement. Conclusion: skin complications and blood factor changes occur during radiotherapy frequently. The changes of different blood factors are not the same and some of them can undergo decrease whereas increment happens in others.