Roper, B., Kaisig, D., Auer, F., Mergen, E., & Molls, M. (2004). Theta-cream versus bepanthol lotion in breast cancer patients under radiotherapy. Strahlentherapie und Oncologie, 180, 315–322.
To compare Theta-cream with standard skin care using Bepanthol (Bepanthen) lotion to prevent acute radiation side effects in skin tissue
Patients were randomly assigned to use Theta-Cream or Bepanthol lotion during radiation therapy. Medication was applied lightly to the treatment field twice daily, starting within one week before beginning radiation therapy. Patients requested to wash irradiated skin gently with care to skin marks. No other prophylactic topical treatment was allowed.
The study used a randomized controlled blinded trial design.
At 50 Gy, there was a insignificant trend in favor of Bepanthol lotion with a median total score of 8 (range 3–14) versus 11 (range 3–15) with Theta-Cream. There was no difference for maximal scores in every single aspect of skin toxicity for both groups at 30 Gy.
In direct comparison with dexpanthenol-containing lotion, no advantage for Theta-Cream was found. There were no differences in skin toxicity between groups using Theta-Cream or Bepanthen.