Painful red hands: a side-effect of leukaemia therapy

Five cases of 'painful red hands', following chemotherapy for leukaemia, are reported. All the patients were women who had received treatment with cytosine arabinoside, 6-thioguanine and adriamycin. Several days after courses of chemotherapy, painful erythematous swelling of the palms and soles developed. In all cases the reaction was self-limiting and did not adversely affect their prognosis. Physicians should be aware of this reaction in order to reassure their patients. No treatment is required and the chemotherapy need not be stopped or altered.