Radiotherapy-related skin toxicity (RAREST-02): A randomized trial testing the effect of a mobile application reminding head-and-neck cancer patients to perform skin care (reminder app) on radiation dermatitis

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy of head-and-neck cancer can be associated with significant toxicities including dermatitis and oral mucositis. Severe toxicities may require interruptions of the radiation treatment associated with impairment of the patients’ prognoses. This study will investigate whether the addition of a reminder app to standard care can reduce dermatitis and oral mucositis rates during radiotherapy in these patients. METHODS: This randomized trial compares standard care supported by a reminder app (Arm A) to standard care alone (Arm B) with respect to grade ≥ 2 radiation dermatitis and oral mucositis at 60 Gy of radiotherapy, the minimum planned dose for patients receiving definitive or adjuvant radiotherapy for locally advanced head- and-neck cancer. Moreover, radiation-induced dermatitis and oral mucositis grade ≥ 3 at 60 Gy and both grade ≥ 2 and grade ≥ 3 at the end of radiation treatment (EOT) will be evaluated, as well as quality of life and pain. According to sample size calculations, 80 patients are required per arm within the full analysis set. Taking into account that 5% of patients will not qualify for full analysis set, 168 patients should be randomized. The impact of the reminder app will be considered clinically relevant, if the rates of grade ≥ 2 radiation dermatitis (primary endpoint) and oral mucositis (secondary endpoint) can be reduced by 20%. DISCUSSION: If the addition of a reminder app to standard care will lead to a significant reduction of radiation dermatitis and oral mucositis, it could become a helpful tool for patients with head-and-neck cancer during radiotherapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04110977). Registered on September 27, 2019. First patient is planned to be included in December 2019.