Oncapsisens: Dermatological efficacy in cancer treatments

Effects and consequences of cancer treatments

Various treatments are currently available, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, and stem cell transplantation, and in some cases several options are combined. However, any of these approaches can cause side effects in the patient.

This article explores the potential side effects of cancer treatments and how to help ease the discomfort associated with them.

What side effects can appear during cancer treatment?

Side effects of cancer treatments can arise when they affect healthy tissues or organs, but not all patients experience all effects. The severity of the consequences also varies between individuals, and the need to kill cancer cells must be weighed against the inconvenience caused by side effects.

Although each cancer treatment has its own mode of action depending on the type of cancer, the organ affected, and the severity of the disease, generally speaking, side effects often include:

• Anemia
• Fatigue
• Muscle and nerve problems
• Hair loss
• Skin and nail changes
• Changes in appetite
• Variations in weight
• fertility problems
• Variations in sexual desire and function
• Gastrointestinal conditions
• Mouth, tongue and throat problems
• nausea and vomiting
• Appearance of infections

skin changes

According to the previous list, cancer treatment can affect the skin, producing changes such as redness, dryness, itching, scaling, and rashes. In some areas of the body, the skin may darken or lighten. It is also common for sores or cracks to develop on the skin, increasing the risk of infection and causing discomfort.

Radiotherapy

Radiodermatitis is the set of skin lesions that can arise as a result of cancer treatment. A large number of patients experience this type of temporary skin alterations in the treated area, such as redness, dryness, discoloration, itching, or even blistering or peeling. These changes usually manifest gradually during treatment and, although they tend to improve after the end of treatment, the skin requires special care throughout the process.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy works by attacking rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells, but they are not the only rapidly dividing cells in the body. Therefore, chemotherapy can damage other tissues, including the skin.

The chance of having a skin problem varies depending on the type of medicine used in cancer treatment. Some medicines can cause skin rashes, redness, itching and dryness, while others can darken the skin, nails or hair, or increase sensitivity to sunlight, increasing the risk of serious burns.

Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common side effects in cancer patients. Symptoms include numbness and pain in the extremities, difficulty moving the fingers, hypersensitivity to hot or cold, tingling, muscle weakness, and itching. The prevalence of peripheral neuropathy varies according to the type of chemotherapy used, and can affect up to 80% of patients treated with paclitaxel and/or docetaxel, and up to 95% with oxaliplatin.

targeted therapy

These therapies seek to specifically attack certain proteins present in cancer cells, however, these proteins may also be present in other healthy cells in the body. Side effects on the skin are generally mild and depend on the dose of the treatment, but can include acne-like rashes. Another common side effect is peripheral neuropathy, which causes tingling, burning, and increased sensitivity to heat in the hands and feet.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that takes advantage of the immune system's ability to kill cancer cells. However, it can also affect healthy cells, manifesting as a rash, itching, or blistering of the skin. Additionally, patients may experience localized or generalized hair loss, although these side effects can take months to appear after treatment.

How to improve discomfort associated with side effects

In general, during cancer treatment, the skin becomes more sensitive and prone to irritation, making skin care important. This involves keeping the skin clean, hydrated, and protected from irritation, injury, and infection. The constant use of sunscreen, treatment of the skin with creams that prevent or improve dryness and the avoidance of products with high amounts of alcohol or perfumes that can increase the sensitivity of the skin are recommended.

At Prospera Biotech, they have developed Oncapsisens, a cream that can help improve skin symptoms in cancer patients.

Oncapsisens, the cream developed by Prospera Biotech, is also known for its moisturizing capacity and for being hypoallergenic, which makes it suitable for use by people with sensitive skin. In a study carried out in 4 different hospitals, 87% of the patients obtained an improvement in their dermatological quality of life index thanks to the use of this cream.

References:

SEOM. Cancer figures in Spain 2022. 2022.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Skin changes during cancer treatment. 2019.

National Cancer Institute. Skin and nail changes during cancer treatment. 2019.

Spanish Society of Medical Oncology. Toxicity of cancer treatments. 2019.

American Cancer Society. Side effects of chemotherapy. 2019.