Patient and radiographer acceptability of prophylactic skin care for breast patients receiving radiotherapy

Abstract

IntroductionThis study aimed to:• Address the lack of information surrounding patient preference within radiotherapy skin care.• Identify if prophylactic skin care is the preferred approach of patients and staff.• Establish if patients and staff are accepting of the use of a type of barrier film, such as 3M™ Cavilon™ No Sting Barrier Film. MethodsTwelve patients undergoing standard whole breast radiotherapy and four staff members who were based mainly on a breast-specific treatment unit were interviewed using semi-structured techniques. The interview transcripts were coded for areas of interest and a thematic map generated using the qualitative data analysis software (NVivo V12, QSR International). ResultsOne Hundred percent of patients (n = 12) would have preferred a proactive approach to skin care management over the reactive one currently implemented. Staff were also in favour of a proactive approach to skin care with 100% (n = 4) supportive of a trial into the film's effectiveness.Three key themes were identified:• Theme 1: Patient Ownership of Own care – all patients identified they preferred a prophylactic approach and that more specific skin care guidance from healthcare professionals would be beneficial.• Theme 2: Product Practicality – 93% of patients and 100% of staff accepted the product and would be open to the use of it clinically.• Theme 3: Staff Acknowledgement of Skin Care – all staff identified a patient group in need of prophylaxis and that Cavilon No Sting may be a product of interest. ConclusionPatients and staff were in support of prophylactic skin care, both approved of the proposed product. However, there is a significant lack of clinical evidence to support the use of any topical products within radiotherapy skincare due to the lack of high-quality studies. Implications for practiceChanges to skin care practice could be considered due to patient preference in favour of proactive management.