Barrier protective use of skin care to prevent chemotherapy-induced cutaneous symptoms and to maintain quality of life in patients with breast cancer

The document reports on a multicenter randomized crossover study that investigated the clinical benefits of a niacinamide-containing emollient in 73 breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant or neoadjuvant cytostatic therapy. The study aimed to assess the impact of the emollient on patients' quality of life, measured by the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and visual analog scales for symptoms such as pruritus, dryness, and irritability. While no significant differences were observed in the total DLQI score, the "symptoms and feelings" subscale showed a significant advantage for the test emollient. Additionally, the test emollient demonstrated significant superiority in secondary target parameters. The study concluded that prophylactic application of a niacinamide-containing emollient significantly improves the quality of life for patients undergoing cytostatic treatment. However, the study had limitations, including a small sample size, a higher than expected dropout rate, and heterogeneity in chemotherapy regimens. The study was funded by La Roche-Posay Dermatological Laboratories, and one of the authors is an employee of the company.