title: Skin rash during cetuximab treatment in advanced colorectal cancer: is age a clinical predictor?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the intensity and the duration of skin rash in young and elderly patients treated with cetuximab for advanced colorectal cancer, in order to define a possible relationship between age and skin toxicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed all consecutive patients with advanced colorectal cancer who developed skin rash during cetuximab treatment at the Clinical Oncology Unit from June 2006 to May 2011. We divided the general case study into two subgroups: young and elderly patients (≥ 65 years old), and we compared clinical, pathological, and therapeutical characteristics of both subgroups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 31 patients affected by advanced colorectal cancer (64.5 % with colon cancer and 35.5 % with rectal cancer) treated with cetuximab, 19 patients (61.3 %) developed skin toxicities: seven patients (36.8 %) had grade 1 skin rash, nine patients (47.4 %) had grade 2, three patients (15.8 %) had grade 3, and no grade 4 was found. Ten (52.6 %) out of 19 patients were elderly (>65 years). Concerning skin rash, grading was substantially comparable between the two subgroups, but median duration of skin rash was higher in the first subgroup for all grades. The univariate analysis showed no statistical significant difference in overall survival between young and elderly patients (p = 0.171), such as age that does not seem to statistically influence the appearance (p = 0.386), duration (p = 0.455), and grade of skin rash (p = 0.765).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age is an insufficient predictor of skin toxicity during cetuximab treatment in advanced colorectal cancer and does not seem to statistically influence the appearance, duration, and grade of skin rash.
authors.affiliation: Palliative Care Unit, Mater Salutis Hospital, ULSS 21, Via Gianella 1, 37045 Legnago, Verona, Italy. giuliani.jacopo@alice.it
authors.forename: Jacopo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Giuliani
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marzola
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000068818:Cetuximab; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D005076:Exanthema / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000068818:Cetuximab