title: Palmoplantar erythrodysesthesia-like skin symptoms in patients under various chemotherapeutics: preventive and therapeutic options.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The palmoplantar erythrodysaesthesia (PPE) is an inflammatory cutaneous side effect in patients under chemotherapy with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD), with indications that also other chemotherapeutics induce similar side effects. Recently, it has been demonstrated that PLD escapes with the sweat onto the skin inducing radical-forming processes that damage the skin. The topical application of antioxidants with a high radical protection factor has proven to be a very efficient prevention strategy for PLD-treated patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  68 patients, who had been treated with 12 different chemotherapeutics and experienced side effects similar to PPE, were treated with a meanwhile commercially available ointment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the beginning of the therapy, 46 patients suffered from a PPE of severity grade III, while in 22 patients a PPE of severity grade II was diagnosed. The application of the ointment resulted in a significant improvement of the clinical symptoms and the skin status in all these patients; their chemotherapies could be continued.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained results suggest that radical-forming processes play an essential role in a great number of chemotherapeutics which induce dermal side effects. The topical application of the antioxidant-containing ointment proved to be a good therapeutic option which needs further evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lademann
authors.forename: Hans-Joachim
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Röwert-Huber
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kluschke
authors.forename: Alexa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patzelt
authors.forename: Leonhard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zastrow
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lange-Asschenfeldt
authors.forename: Sora
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sterry
authors.forename: Jalid
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sehouli
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009824:Ointments; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D009824:Ointments; D010936:Plant Extracts