title: Quality of life in colon cancer patients with skin side effects: preliminary results from a monocentric cross sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors are widely prescribed anticancer drugs. Patients treated commonly develop dermatologic adverse drugs reactions, but rarely they are involved in systematic evaluation of their quality of life. This monocentric cross sectional study is carried out to assess quality of life in colon cancer patients experienced skin side effects due to anti epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients with skin side effects to therapy treated at Fondazione Poliambulanza were enrolled in this study. Quality of life was evaluated with the Italian validated version of Skindex-29 questionnaire, exploring three dimensions: symptoms, emotional, and physical functioning. Skindex-29 was administered one time between the eighth and the twelfth week of the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-five consecutive patients, mainly with metastatic colon cancer (29 female, 16 male), with an average age of 59.31 years (ranging from 34-78) were included in the study and analyzed. Patients showed a great impact of skin side effects on symptoms (mean 43), followed by emotional (mean 30), and functioning (mean 26) scales. In general women, the 55-65 age class, and patients with partial remission reported the worst quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors' skin side effects have an important impact on quality of life in advanced colon cancer patients; symptoms scale is the most effect respect to emotional and functioning scales.
authors.affiliation: UO di Oncologia Medica, Fondazione Poliambulanza, Via Bissolati 57, 25124 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Andreis
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rizzi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mosconi
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Luigina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rota
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meriggi
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazzocchi
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaniboni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D066246:ErbB Receptors
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