Frozen Glove Therapy for Docetaxel-Induced Hand Problems May Not Fit All

In a Phase II study conducted by Florian Scotté, MD, and colleagues, 45 patients receiving docetaxel chemotherapy were tested for the efficacy of a frozen glove therapy in preventing or reducing skin and nail damage. The patients wore a frozen glove on their right hand during treatment, with the left hand serving as a control. The results showed that nail problems were significantly reduced in the gloved hands, with 89% having no nail problems compared to 49% of the control hands, and onycholysis (nails falling off) did not occur in any of the gloved hands but affected 22% of the unprotected hands. Skin problems occurred in 24% of the protected hands versus 53% of the control hands. Despite the positive outcomes, six patients were dissatisfied due to discomfort from cold intolerance. The study suggests that while the frozen glove therapy can be beneficial, it may not be suitable for all patients due to issues such as cold intolerance and the potential impact on chemotherapy delivery to circulating tumor cells.