Malignant cutaneous wounds (MCWs)

Malignant cutaneous wounds (MCWs) are skin lesions caused by cancer cells that often result in severe pain, malodor, high wound exudate levels, and bleeding, as well as significant social isolation for patients.

MCWs often produce significant wound exudate, making the use of effective dressings necessary to improve patient comfort and quality of life. However, MCWs frequently involve complicated surface changes, such as fungating lesions and ulcerative cavities. Therefore, it is essential to use dressings that fit well to the wound to prevent wound exudate leakage and further skin damage.

Achieving "wound balance" as the focus of patient-centered MCW management is vital in protecting patient comfort and dignity. Furthermore, wound topography should be considered when selecting the type of wound dressing (silicone-edged self-adhesive versus non- adhesive) for MCWs.

Silicone superabsorbent polymer (SAP) dressings have shown promising results in the palliative wound care. They can absorb large amounts of wound exudate and help reduce malodor, which is particularly important for patients, as MCWs often cause anxiety and isolation due to social stigma. They can significantly enhance the patient`s quality of life, even when healing is not the primary goal.

An open-label, single-center case series study was conducted to evaluate whether silicone SAP dressings can improve patient and clinician outcomes in managing MCWs. It evaluated feedback from tertiary care nurses on the use of silicone SAP dressings for MCWs.

Find and read about the results and outcomes of this study here: Improving management of malignant cutaneous wounds: Case Study | Link For Wound Healing

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