TO COMPARE THE EFFECT OF SKIN TOXICITY WITH THE USE OF

BOLUS ON A DAILY BASIS VERSUS ON ALTERNATE DAYS IN POST-

MASTECTOMY HYPOFRACTIONATED RADIATION THERAPY
OBJECTIVE:
To assess dermatological toxicity following post-mastectomy chest wall radiation in breast
Cancer patients, comparing the effects of bolus placement on a daily basis versus alternate days.

MATERIAL AND METHOD:

For women undergoing photon 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy for breast cancer, a
Bolus is routinely applied to the chest wall. Patients received mixed 6, 10, and 15 MV photons,
With conventional fractionation (266 cGy/day) in 16 fractions. Patients were divided into two
groups:
• Bolus used on alternate days.
• Bolus used daily for half of the treatment (8 days).
By categorizing patients into these groups, the aim was to compare the severity of dermatitis. A
total of 40 patients participated in the study in December, with 50% treated with a bolus on
Alternate days and the other 50% treated with a bolus for half of the treatment.
Inclusion Criteria:
Patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer stage I-A to III, any N, M0, treated with adjuvant
or neoadjuvant radiation therapy.
Exclusion Criteria:
History of previous thoracic radiation therapy.

RESULTS:
The study revealed a noticeable difference in the severity of dermatitis between the two
groups. Patients treated with bolus on alternative days experienced a reduced incidence and
severity of radiation-induced dermatitis compared to those treated with bolus daily for half of
the treatment duration. The findings suggest that an alternative-day bolus regimen may be a
Viable strategy to minimize the impact of radiation-induced dermatitis during post-mastectomy
radiotherapy.
CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, the study highlights the potential benefits of adopting an alternate-day bolus
Strategy in post-mastectomy radiotherapy. This approach demonstrated a reduction in the
incidence and severity of radiation-induced dermatitis, offering valuable insights for optimizing
treatment prescriptions.