Effect of therapeutic radiation on wound healing

Abstract Nonhealing wounds present a significant clinical problem. Therapeutic radiation, when applied to the treatment of malignancy, may result in acute and chronic effects on the skin. 1 Healing impairment as well as other functional losses is often observed in irradiated skin. This chapter explores the biology of radiation-induced skin changes, describes models for studying wound healing in chronically irradiated skin, and reviews clinical aspects of radiation-damaged skin.