Re: radiotherapy question

["Gary T. Pepper" <gpepper@capitalnet.com>]

At 09:41 AM 3/11/1998 -0600, you wrote:
>
>It has recently come to my attention that when a patient is undergoing
>radiotherapy for breast cancer they are instructed to not use any 
>commercial deodorants.  I have some speculations as to why but can 
>anyone give me a definitive reason why?
>
>Michael Baker ... mcbaker@lanl.gov
>
>

My wife went through radiotherapy for breast cancer and was told not to use
commercial deodorants (over the course of her treatments), as many of them
contain aluminum (as aluminum compound(s), with a relatively high Z, when
compared with tissue).  Obviously, the presence of aluminum on the skin
could result in undesirable localized dose enhancements to the skin and
surrounding tissues.  She was told, however, that it was okay to use baby
powder.  

I think that there is also another side to this story.  You wouldn't want
to apply any deodorants to the irradiated skin areas, because if applied
after irradiation, they could really irritate the afflicted areas.
Irradiated areas of skin can and do redden and blister.  I don't think that
most women would not want to even put something like baby powder on such
afflicted areas.


Gary Pepper
gpepper@capitalnet.com