Starting Radiation? Get educated about Mepitel film!
Mepitel is the brand name for a thin film that you can apply over the skin before radiation starts. It is easy to order online and to apply yourself, and it is effective at reducing skin damage from the radiation.
It feels like saran wrap (cling film). It stays on throughout radiation, but probably will need to be re-applied once or twice because it starts to curl away at the edges after a while. You can shower with it on.
Patients who went through mastectomy will benefit most because we have had fat removed from under the skin. I'm also told that patients with very large breasts are also higher risk for skin problems from radiation (C cup or greater).
Some cancer centres offer it routinely now, but there are problems with getting it funded and figuring out how to allow for extra time in the radiation appointment for the techinicians to apply it. Radiation works like clockwork so this is a concern.
But rest assured: it is safe and effective. In a recent survey, 89% of Canadian radiation oncologists said they would recommend it for the patients at most risk for skin damage (mastectomy+large breasts), and there was another survey worldwide with the same results but not just for high-risk patients.
In Canada, it costs about $100 to order it online if your cancer centre doesn't offer it. In the US that would be about $65.
I requested it from my cancer centre a number of years ago and was very happy with the results. My skin barely turned pink under the film, whereas a small area where the film rolled away became very red and inflamed.
Your radiation oncologist won't bring it up with you if their hospital doesn't yet offer it. This is where you would need to advocate for yourself. Ask if they have some on hand that they could apply on your first treatment. The wound nurse might have some from the manufacturer.
But please do make sure to order the right stuff. It is called Mepitel. There are other products by the same manufacturer that sound similar but are not the same. The manufacturer is Molnlycke.
Comments
-
Video on how to apply Mepitel yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXH7BgfExBc&t=8s
0