title: Description and management of cutaneous side effects during cetuximab or erlotinib treatments: a prospective study of 30 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Drugs such as cetuximab or erlotinib, which inhibit the epidermal growth factor receptor, are increasingly being used in treatment of solid tumors. This has led to the appearance of new secondary effects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to describe the cutaneous side effects and their management in patients with cancer treated with cetuximab or erlotinib.
  
  
  METHODS
  We clinically examined 30 patients determining type, frequency, treatment, and evolution of side effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most patients presented with a cutaneous reaction consisting of a follicular eruption, typically appearing in seborrheic areas within the first 15 days of treatment. Painful fissures in palms and soles and paronychia were the second most common cutaneous toxicities. We also noticed an alteration in hair growth at several months' follow-up. As these secondary effects responded well to treatment, few patients discontinued the antineoplastic therapy because of cutaneous toxicity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This was a prospective but uncontrolled study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although these new targeted therapies have low systemic toxicity because of their high specificity, cutaneous side effects are common and may be serious.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain. Eroe@santpau.es
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roé
authors.forename: María Pilar
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: García Muret
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marcuello
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Capdevila
authors.forename: Cinta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pallarés
authors.forename: Agustín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alomar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068818:Cetuximab; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000068818:Cetuximab