Specifically, this clinical pilot study will develop data necessary to calculate a sample size for a larger study to be conducted through the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) mechanism. Specifically, this pilot project will investigate: 1) if curcumin can prevent or alleviate radiation-induced skin reactions in cancer patients receiving radiotherapy and 2) if skin pigmentation, as well as pain and psychophysiological factors, can predict the severity of radiation-induced dermatitis. Potential future research studies may be conducted to identify the biological mechanisms involved in radiation-induced dermatitis and the radioprotective function of curcumin.
