title: Xerosis and pruritus as major EGFRI-associated adverse events.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this sub-analysis of the BeCet study (NCT01136005) was to examine health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients experiencing dermatological adverse events (AEs) during the first 6 weeks of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor (EGFRI) treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (n = 85) treated with EGFRI completed five questionnaires during the first 6 weeks of treatment. 77 patients provided enough data for the sub-analysis. Experienced AEs were reported in the Dermatological Reactions Targeted Therapy-Patients (DERETT-P), a symptom experience diary for patients treated with targeted therapy. The impact of EGFRI-associated dermatological adverse events on HRQoL was examined using four HRQoL questionnaires; the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-EGFRI (FACT-EGFRI-18), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the Skindex-16.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the first 6 weeks of EGFRI treatment, physical discomfort was the most significantly affected domain. In the entire study population, xerosis (dry skin) (22.3 %) and pruritus (itchy skin) (16.9 %) were reported as the most impactful AEs. For patients experiencing a papulopustular eruption (acneiform rash) pruritus (24.2 %), xerosis (18.9 %), and papulopustular eruption (6.3 %) were reported as the most impactful AEs. Papulopustular eruption, xerosis, and pruritus all showed a significant negative effect on HRQoL, displayed in FACT-EGFRI-18 scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In addition to papulopustular eruption, xerosis and pruritus are major EGFRI-associated dermatological AEs with an impact on HRQoL, which warrant more attention in clinical practice and research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. juliamkclabbers@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Julia M K
authors.initials: JMK
authors.lastname: Clabbers
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Christine B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Boers-Doets
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gelderblom
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stijnen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Mario E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Lacouture
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Koos J M
authors.initials: KJM
authors.lastname: van der Hoeven
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Adrian A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kaptein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D005076:Exanthema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D011537:Pruritus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D066246:ErbB Receptors
keywords: Cancer; Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor; Papulopustular eruption; Pruritus; Quality of life; Xerosis