Cutaneous Toxicities of Cancer Therapy
March 2002
in “
Current opinion in oncology/Current opinion in oncology, with cancerlit
”
TLDR Cancer therapy can cause various skin problems, including hair loss, skin darkening, painful hand-foot syndrome, and severe skin damage.
The review from 2002 discussed the cutaneous side effects of cancer therapy, including alopecia, hyperpigmentation, hand-foot syndrome, radiation recall, hypersensitivity, extravasation injuries, and nail dystrophies. Alopecia was particularly distressing for patients, while hyperpigmentation often persisted post-treatment. Hand-foot syndrome was painful, and hypersensitivity reactions required prophylaxis. Extravasation injuries could lead to severe skin damage, necessitating immediate discontinuation of infusion and local management, with surgical consultation for persistent symptoms. The use of antidotes like dimethyl sulfoxide and thiosulfate was explored but remained controversial. Awareness of these complications was crucial for the medical management of chemotherapy patients.
