Dermatologic management of oncotherapy side effects: A proposed algorithm.

Abstract

Since the introduction of the first chemotherapeutic regimens for the treatment of oncological disease, hundreds of drugs have been approved for cancer treatment and many more are under investigation. The development of newer drugs such as target therapies, immuno-oncotherapies, and hormonal therapies has increased in specificity with the development of smaller molecules and more selective targets. Cutaneous side effects are now well known for both standard chemotherapy and targeted therapies. The correct diagnosis and management of these effects are of vital importance both to optimize therapeutic success rates and to reduce the patient's suffering. In fact, the appearance of a cutaneous adverse event can be responsible for a reduction in drug dosage or worse its suspension. In order to achieve this objective, we propose a management algorithm, based on three different steps, before, during, and after the oncological treatments, respectively. Our proposal underlines the importance of correct skin care measures to limit or reduce the severity of side effects.