Phase
III Clinical Trial Suggests Aloe Vera Gel Ineffective for
Breast Cancer Radiation Skin Side Effects
According to an article recently published in Cancer Nursing,
aloe vera gel did not significantly reduce radiation-induced
skin side effects in women undergoing treatment for breast
cancer.
Breast cancer is diagnosed in over 200,000 women annually,
resulting in approximately 40,000 deaths each year in the
United States. Breast cancer may be localized, which means
it has not spread from the site of origin, or it may be more
advanced, existing outside the breast in other organs or lymph
nodes. Surgery is often used as initial therapy for localized
breast cancer and may be followed by additional therapy (called
adjuvant therapy) which may include chemotherapy, hormonal
therapy, radiation therapy and/or biologic therapy. In some
instances, lymphocele drainage is performed to empty a cyst
formed in or around lymph nodes or diseased lymph channels.
Aloe vera is a succulent plant native to Africa. Its leaves
are long, green and fleshy, containing a gel inside that has
been used by herbalists for centuries to sooth dry and damaged
skin. It has also been used historically to treat minor cuts
and burns. Little research has been conducted to investigate
the efficacy of aloe vera in a clinical trial context.
A Phase III study conducted in Australia investigated the
effectiveness of aloe vera gel on irradiated breast tissue.
In addition, the study also explored which patients were most
likely to experience skin side effects from radiation. Two
hundred twenty-five breast cancer patients who had undergone
lumpectomy or partial mastectomy and were undergoing radiation
therapy participated in the study. Patients were randomized
to receive either aloe vera gel or an aqueous cream, each
applied three times daily during treatment and for two weeks
following treatment completion. Nurses evaluated and recorded
skin conditions once a week.
This trial reported that aqueous cream was significantly
more effective than aloe vera gel at reducing dry, peeling
skin and its accompanying pain. The data also suggested that
women with breasts D cup or larger were significantly more
likely to have erythema (skin redness) than women with smaller
breasts, regardless of which treatment they used. Smokers
who used aqueous cream were significantly more likely to experience
itching than nonsmokers using it. Patients using aloe vera
gel who had one or more lymphocele drainages after surgery
were significantly more likely to experience erythema (skin
redness) and itching than those who had not undergone any
drainages and used aloe vera gel. Overall, patients undergoing
lymphocele drainage that used aloe vera gel were significantly
more likely to experience pain than those using aqueous cream.
The is no clear explanation for these associations and further
research is needed to clarify their implications.
These researchers concluded that aquaeous cream, but not
aloe vera gel, appeared useful in reducing radiation-induced
skin side effects in breast cancer patients. Patients with
breast cancer may wish to speak with their physician about
the risks and benefits of CAM or about participation in a
clinical trial further evaluating CAM therapies. Three sources
of information regarding ongoing clinical trials include the
National Cancer Institute's Office of Cancer Complementary
and Alternative Medicine at http://www3.cancer.gov/occam/trials,
the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
at http://nccam.nih.gov,and eCancerTrials.com. eCancerTrials.com
also provides personalized clinical trial searches on behalf
of patients.
Reference: Heggie S, Bryant Gp, Tripcony L, et al. A Phase
III study on the efficacy of topical aloe vera gel on irradiated
breast tissue. Cancer Nursing. 2002;25:442-51.
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