Mepilex Dressings in Managing Radiation-Induced Moist Desquamation in Head and Neck Cancer

Background: Radiation dermatitis (ARD), particularly its most severe form, moist desquamation (MD), is a frequent and distressing complication of external beam radiotherapy (RT) in head and neck (H&N) cancer patients. Standard management often provides limited benefit for healing and symptom control. Silicone-based foam dressings, including Mepilex Lite and Mepilex Ag, may offer atraumatic adherence, moisture balance, and pain reduction. This study evaluated their real-world effectiveness for MD after conventional RT. Methods: Ten H&N cancer patients with clinically confirmed MD post-radiotherapy were prospectively followed until healing. Patients received Mepilex Lite or Mepilex Ag based on exudate level and infection risk, with dressings changed every three days. Patient- and healthcare provider-reported measures were collected throughout follow-up. The primary endpoint was time to MD resolution, defined as healing to grade 1 skin status. Secondary endpoints included changes in symptom burden, dressing tolerability and satisfaction, and adverse events. Results: Median age was 69 years (range 44–78). All wounds healed to grade 1, with a mean time of 8.6 days (SD 3.9). No infections or adverse events occurred. Pain, burning, and interference with daily activity decreased, and most patients reported improved comfort. Conclusions: In this small prospective cohort study, use of Mepilex dressings was associated with rapid healing, good tolerability, and improvement in patient-reported symptoms of acute radiation dermatitis. These findings suggest that Mepilex dressings may be a promising management option and warrant evaluation in larger comparative studies.