A Case of Cicatricial Alopecia Associated with Erlotinib
January 2011
in “
Annals of Dermatology
”
cicatricial alopecia erlotinib tyrosine kinase inhibitor epidermal growth factor receptor EGFR EGFR-TKI follicular acneiform eruptions cutaneous xerosis chronic paronychia desquamation seborrheic dermatitis hair texture changes scarring alopecia Tarceva skin dryness nail inflammation skin peeling dandruff
TLDR Erlotinib can cause hair loss as a side effect.
Erlotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), was primarily used to treat non-small cell lung cancer. However, EGFR also played a crucial role in skin and hair growth and differentiation, leading to various skin-related side effects when using EGFR-TKIs. These side effects included follicular acneiform eruptions, cutaneous xerosis, chronic paronychia, desquamation, seborrheic dermatitis, and changes in hair texture. This document reported a rare case of a 61-year-old woman who developed cicatricial alopecia after being treated with erlotinib, highlighting a potential adverse effect of the drug on hair health.
