One of the most common
radiotherapy-induced side-effects
is an acute skin reaction, which
can range from mild erythema to
confluent moist desquamation.
All patients receiving external
beam radiotherapy are at potential
risk of developing a skin reaction
within the treatment field, with
approximately 85–87% experiencing
a moderate-to-severe skin reaction
(Salvo et al, 2010) — of these,
10–15% will progress to moist
desquamation (Hornsby et al, 2005)