In a nutshell
This study wanted to find out if using a cream containing atorvastatin (Lipitor) on the skin of women who had radiation treatment for breast cancer would help with some of the negative side effects. The study found that using atorvastatin reduced itching, swelling and pain in patients receiving radiation therapy for breast cancer.
Some background
Radiotherapy is a common treatment for breast cancer. However it can result in some uncomfortable side effects related to the skin around the area being treated with radiation. Many trials have been performed to try and find a medication which can help with the side effects.
Methods & findings
There were 70 patients in this trial. All of these patients had breast cancer, and had surgery to remove the tumor. All of the patients also had chemotherapy treatment. 34 of them were randomly assigned to use a cream containing 1% atorvastatin, while the remaining 36 patients used a cream with no active ingredient. This cream was applied to the skin twice a day during radiotherapy treatment.
It was found that in the patients who used atorvastatin, itching, pain and swelling around the treated area was significantly reduced compared to those who did not use atorvastatin. Redness caused by radiotherapy was also reduced.
The bottom line
The study concluded that using a cream containing 1% atorvastatin resulted in reduced swelling, pain and itching in patients undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer.
The fine print
This is a fairly small study, so a larger one would need to be done to confirm the results.
What’s next?
Discuss with your doctor if you wish to try this type of treatment.
Published By :
European journal of clinical pharmacology
Date :
Oct 06, 2018
