Dermoscopy: as a new method for evaluation of radiation dermatitis in patients with breast cancer

Abstract

Objective In breast cancers treated with radiotherapy, the epidermis, dermis, and vascular structures are destroyed at the cellular level with inflammatory processes. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the changes in the skin associated with radiation dermatitis in women with breast cancer. Patients and methods Forty-four women with breast cancer, who received radiation therapy were included in the study. Patient information including the demographic and clinic data were recorded. The field of radiotherapy was evaluated macroscopically and by dermoscopy. Results In 84.1% of the patients, radiodermatitis at a grade of 1 or more was found. In patients to whom a bolus was applied, hyperpigmentation and reticular pigmentation were more frequent but conserved areas were found less frequently. The conserved areas were significantly more frequent in patients with more advanced ages (P=0.038). The patients with visible erythema had multiple milia-like cysts and perifollicular pigmentation on dermoscopic evaluation. Conclusion The use of dermoscopy will provide more information regarding skin toxicity associated with radiotherapy, contributing to the macroscopic evaluation.