Tran TN, Hoang MV, Phan QA, Phung TL, Purschke M, Ferinelli WA, Sabir S, Ziegler A, Nelson S, Anderson RR, et al.
Seminars in cutaneous medicine and surgery. Date of publication 2015 Mar 1;volume 34(1):42-7.
1. Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2015 Mar;34(1):42-7. doi: 10.12788/j.sder.2015.0141.
Fractional epidermal grafting in combination with laser therapy as a novel
approach in treating radiation dermatitis.
Tran TN(1), Hoang MV(2), Phan QA(2), Phung TL(3), Purschke M(4), Ferinelli WA(4),
Sabir S(5), Ziegler A(6), Nelson S(7), Anderson RR(4).
Author information:
(1)Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
ttran2@partners.org.
(2)University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Virtnam.
(3)Department of Pathology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.
(4)Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
(5)SevenOaks Biosystems, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
(6)Catapult Product Development, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA.
(7)Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic, Irvine, California, USA.
Radiation injury to the skin is a major source of dysfunction, disfigurement, and
complications for thousands of patients undergoing adjunctive treatment for
internal cancers. Despite the great potential for affecting quality of life,
radiation injury has received little attention from dermatologists and is
primarily being managed by radiation oncologists. During our volunteer work in
Vietnam, we encountered numerous children with significant scarring and
depigmentation of skin from the outdated use of radioactive phosphorus P32 in the
treatment of hemangiomas. This dangerous practice has left thousands of children
with significant fibrosis and disfigurement. Currently, there is no treatment for
radiation dermatitis. Here, we report a case series using the combination of
laser treatment, including pulsed-dye laser, fractional CO2 laser, and epidermal
grafting to improve the appearance and function of the radiation scars in these
young patients. We hope that by improving the appearance and function of these
scars, we can improve the quality of life for these young patients and
potentially open up a new avenue of treatment for cancer patients affected with
chronic radiation dermatitis, potentially improving their range of motion,
cosmesis, and reducing their risk of secondary skin malignancies.
©2015 Frontline Medical Communications.
DOI: 10.12788/j.sder.2015.0141
PMID: 25922957
