title: Compliance and effective management of the hand-foot syndrome in colon cancer patients receiving capecitabine as adjuvant chemotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Physicians and oncology nurses must continue to update their knowledge on treatment and treatment-related side effects, while searching for effective methods to prevent or manage side effects. The objective of our study was to describe the incidence and response to treatment of the hand-foot syndrome (HFS) and the compliance with treatment of patients with stage IIB, IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC colon cancer that were treated with capecitabine alone as adjuvant therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between September 2005 and September 2006, 84 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The treatment compliance rate was 90.5% (76 out of the 84 patients). The HFS developed in 65 patients (77.4%). Thirty-three patients (50.7%) had grade 1 HFS, 22 patients (33.8%) had grade 2 HFS and 10 patients (15.5%) had grade 3 HFS, as their most severe episode. For Grade 1 patients, the dose was maintained, and skin barrier cream and moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) were applied. For Grade 2 patients, either the dose was maintained or 25% of the dose was reduced; MEBO and supportive care were provided. For Grade 3 patients, one cycle of chemotherapy was interrupted followed by dose adjustment; MEBO and supportive care were provided.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HFS is manageable if both patients and oncology care teams are educated about HFS associated with capecitabine. The HFS is treated by patient education, preventive management, ointment application, conservative management, dose reduction, and interruption of chemotherapy administration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Colorectal Cancer Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Sook
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Woo Yong
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Won-Suk
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seong Hyeon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Ho-Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Chun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005533:Foot Dermatoses / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil