title: Hand-foot hyperpigmentation skin lesions associated with combination gemcitabine-carboplatin (GemCarbo) therapy.
abstract: Gemcitabine (Gemzar) is a nucleoside analogue used as a cytotoxic agent for the treatment of various carcinomas: pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, breast cancer, and non-small-cell-lung cancer. Carboplatin, a DNA alkylating agent, is used alongside with gemcitabine in a regimen known as GemCarbo chemotherapy to treat several different types of cancer, most commonly lung cancer. We report an unusual case of hand-foot hyperpigmentation after the use of GemCarbo therapy on a man with stage IV non-small cell lung carcinoma. Physical examination revealed hyperpigmented lesions that were approximately 1-2 mm in diameter, of brown/purple discoloration localized to the palmar surface of his hands and the dorsum of his feet. A rapid plasma reagin blood test, used for the screening of syphilis was nonreactive. Discontinuation of both agents resulted in the dramatic disappearance of the lesions over the course of 2 weeks. In this report, we describe, to our knowledge, the first case of hand-foot hyperpigmentation that has been reported with the use of either of these 2 agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Toledo College of Medicine, OH 43614, USA. rkleynberg@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Roman L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Kleynberg
authors.forename: Aijaz A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sofi
authors.forename: Rekha T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Chaudhary
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005528:Foot / Q000473:pathology*; D006225:Hand / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D017495:Hyperpigmentation / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D016190:Carboplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine