title: Nail alterations as a surrogate marker for the efficacy of low-dose metronomic chemotherapy.
abstract: Docetaxel is a well-known causative agent of nail alterations. The aim of this study was to reveal the impact of nail alterations associated with low-dose metronomic (LDM) docetaxel chemotherapy on the survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Clinical information, survival data and nail alterations in patients treated with LDM docetaxel chemotherapy (docetaxel 15 mg/m2per week) were retrospectively reviewed. Forty-nine patients were included in this study. Various nail alterations were observed in 17 of the 49 patients (34.7%). Onycholysis and subungual hyperkeratosis were observed in 22.4% and 10.2% of patients, respectively. The number of docetaxel administration cycles was correlated with the incidence and severity of nail alterations. Univariate and multivariate analysis clearly demonstrated that the occurrence of nail alterations was an independent favorable prognostic factor for overall survival. Nail alterations associated with treatment may act as a surrogate marker for the efficacy of low-dose metronomic docetaxel chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Kansai Medical University, Moriguchi, Osaka 570-8506, Japan.
authors.forename: Kayoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kibata
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Inagaki
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: Toshiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Shosaku
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nomura
keywords: docetaxel; metronomic chemotherapy; nail alterations; non-small cell lung cancer; onycholysis; subungual hyperkeratosis