TLDR Understanding and managing side effects of hedgehog pathway inhibitors can improve treatment for advanced basal cell carcinoma.
The document reviewed the adverse events associated with Hedgehog pathway inhibitors (HPIs) in patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma (BCC), focusing on common side effects like muscle spasms, dysgeusia, alopecia, weight loss, and fatigue. These side effects, often mild to moderate but persistent, necessitated effective management strategies such as dose adjustments, supportive care, and patient education to improve adherence and quality of life. The study emphasized the importance of managing these adverse events to ensure patients could continue benefiting from HPI therapy, with specific strategies for each type of side effect, including dietary adjustments, nutritional support, and physical and psychosocial interventions.
9 citations,
December 2014 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Hedgehog pathway inhibitors used for skin cancer can cause significant hair loss, which may improve after stopping the medication.
113 citations,
September 2005 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Applying a special compound can promote hair growth without harmful side effects.
194 citations,
May 2000 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” The hedgehog signaling pathway is crucial for hair growth but not for the initial creation of hair follicles.
231 citations,
October 1999 in “Journal of Clinical Investigation” Activating the Sonic hedgehog gene in mice can start the hair growth phase.
17 citations,
June 2017 in “British Journal of Dermatology” The article concludes that hair loss is a common side effect of drugs treating skin cancer by blocking the hedgehog pathway, but treatment should continue, and more selective drugs might prevent this side effect.
21 citations,
November 2021 in “Cells” Hedgehog pathway inhibitors can treat certain aggressive cancers but face limitations like resistance and side effects.
9 citations,
December 2014 in “British Journal of Dermatology” Hedgehog pathway inhibitors used for skin cancer can cause significant hair loss, which may improve after stopping the medication.
25 citations,
January 2021 in “Journal of drugs in dermatology” Sonidegib and vismodegib are similarly effective for advanced basal cell carcinoma, but sonidegib might have a slightly better safety profile.
June 2019 in “International journal of dermatology and venereology” The Hedgehog Signaling Pathway is important for skin and hair development and skin cancer treatment, but more research is needed to understand it fully.
