ABSTRACT
Acute radiation dermatitis is the most common manifestation of radiation toxicity of the skin and occurs in well over 70% of patients undergoing radiotherapy for cancer. Acute radiation dermatitis can lead to persistent nonhealing ulcerations, desquamation, bullae, hemorrhage, and necrosis. Chronic radiation dermatitis can also cause open wounds, all of which pose an increased risk of infection. The incidence of chronic radiation dermatitis is related to total dose and is even more severe if given in high-dose fractions. The presence of telangiectasia in irradiated skin has historically been used as an endpoint to study the incidence of chronic radiodermatitis. Radiation recall dermatitis is an adverse drug reaction that is always confined within the borders of formerly irradiated skin. Radiation recall dermatitis shares many characteristics of acute radiation dermatitis in that its severity is variable and it may present with erythema, edema, vesiculation, necrosis, and ulceration.
