Mometasone Furoate in Preventing Radiation Dermatitis in Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy to the Breast or Chest Wall for Invasive Breast Cancer or Ductal Carcinoma in Situ

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed diagnosis of primary invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ

Planning to undergo ≥ 5 weeks of continuous definitive or adjuvant external-beam radiotherapy to 1 of the following sites:

Whole breast (as part of breast-conservation therapy)

Chest wall (as part of post-mastectomy irradiation)

Treatment of regional lymph nodes (i.e., axillary, supraclavicular, or internal mammary) allowed

Must meet the following criteria for planned radiotherapy:

Planned total radiation dose ≥ 5,000 Gy and daily radiation dose between 1.75 and 2.12 Gy
No planned split-course radiotherapy
No partial breast treatment, defined as treatment of < 75% of the breast parenchyma
Intensity-modulated radiotherapy planning and delivery, conventional radiotherapy, or 3-dimensional radiotherapy techniques allowed

Must be entered on study within 7 days prior to beginning radiotherapy

Must start study drug prior to receiving the third radiotherapy fraction
No preexisting skin breakdown within the planned radiotherapy field at the time of study entry
No bilateral breast cancer treatment
No inflammatory carcinoma of the breast
Hormone receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Male or female
Menopausal status not specified
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception
Able to complete questionnaires independently or with assistance
No known allergy or hypersensitivity to mometasone furoate (Elocon® or generic cream), imidazolidinyl urea, or formaldehyde

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

See Disease Characteristics
No prior radiotherapy to the planned radiotherapy treatment area

No concurrent or planned leukotriene inhibitors, including the following:

Zafirleukast
Monteleukast
Zileuton

No concurrent or planned use of any prescription or over-the-counter medications containing hydrocortisone or any other cortisone or steroid-containing preparations (systemic, local, or topical) including, but not limited to, the following creams or ointments:

Cortaid®
Cortizone 10®
Tucks®
Preparation H®
No other concurrent topical agents (e.g., lotions, aloe vera) to radiotherapy field during study treatment