Skin reactions occur during cancer treatment. A situation far from trivial since almost all patients, undergoing treatment or in remission, see their quality of life degraded by these side effects of which they consider themselves ill-informed and which they consider poorly taken into account.
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Following a cancer treatment, eight out of ten French people feel at least one side effect on their skin, reports an OpinionWay study for La Roche-Posay, a dermatology laboratory. This survey was carried out in September 2021 on a sample of 1,217 people representative of the French population aged 18 and over, including 322 people affected by cancer. These negative effects impact the quality of life of 93% of patients. Burning and tingling sensations, drought, sun sensitivity and itching.
In detail, we note that the loss of hair and body hair topped the list of effects suffered with 38% of patients affected. The burning, stinging or tingling sensation affects the lives of 22% of people treated for cancer. Other symptoms, peeling nails and damaged nails affect 18% of them. Slightly more than one respondent in two (56%) having been touched by cancer and who declared side effects on the skin had undergone treatment.
A “significant impact” for 93% of patients
The survey published on the occasion of World Cancer Day, this Friday, February 4, underlines that these effects on the skin have a “significant impact” on the lives of patients. Thus, 93% of respondents, sick or in remission, believe that the quality of life is impacted. As for self-esteem and self-image, they are respectively affected for 93% and 88%.
Entitled The side effects of cancer treatments on the skinthis survey questions the knowledge of the French in matter cancer treatment. In total, one in two French people (51%) consider themselves to be well informed about treatments. When it comes to side effects on the skin, nearly six out of ten French people (56%) believe that Side effects are little known and poorly taken into account by doctors.
However, nearly eight out of 10 French people (79%) believe that there are solutions to treat or soothe the side effects on the skin following cancer treatments. According to the survey, only 56% of respondents have undergone treatment to alleviate side effects and say they are satisfied with it. Conversely, 43% of sick say they are dissatisfied or would have liked to have had specific care.
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