[Hand-foot syndrome: A new side effect of erlotinib]
A-M Rouxel1, A-M Roguedas, R Descourt
1Service de dermatologie, CHU Morvan de Brest, 2, avenue Foch, 29200 Brest, France. rouxel.annemarie@free.fr
Background:
Erlotinib (Tarceva) belongs to the family of epidermal growth receptor factor (EGFR) inhibitors. Used in the treatment of some cancers, it is responsible for several cutaneous side effects. We report a case of hand-foot syndrome, which has not previously been described with this drug to our knowledge.
Patients And Methods:
A 65-year-old patient was given erlotinib for lung cancer and after the first month of treatment, he developed severe hand-foot syndrome.
Discussion:
Hand-foot syndrome consists of abrupt bilateral and painful acral erythema associated with dysesthesia. It is a dose-dependent side effect of certain cytostatic drugs. It may sometimes require withdrawal of the causative drug. Care must be taken to identify the early signs of hand-foot syndrome in patients treated with erlotinib.
Related Concept Videos
Diabetic Foot Ulcer
Restless Leg Syndrome and Night Terrors
The exact cause of RLS is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate muscle movement. Imbalances in dopamine levels...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Endothelin Receptor Antagonists
ETs are synthesized through a complex sequence of enzymatic steps, primarily involving an enzyme referred to as endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE). Of...
Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Calcium Channel Blockers
TKIs, such as imatinib (Gleevec), are particularly effective in tackling the growth and mitogenic factors that become upregulated in PAH patients. These factors contribute to the...

