Prevention and therapy of acne-like rash in cancer patients receiving therapy with EGFR receptor inhibitors

Abstract

Cancer chemotherapy advanced dramatically. The success in the management of a broad spectrum of malignancies was achieved due to the development of targeted chemotherapeutic drugs, such as inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor receptor (iEGFR). The most common dermatologic side effect of iEGFR therapy is an acneiform rash that occurs in 60–80 % of patients. This adverse event develops during the first 2 weeks of treatment with iEGFR. Diagnostics of acneiform rash may be complicated because of different interpretations by oncologists and dermatologists. Acneiform rash is frequently associated with pain and itch. Skin toxicity affects a patient’s quality of life, including physical and psychological well-being, emotional and social adaptation, may lead to dose reduction and iEGFR discontinuation. The degree of acneiform rash correlates with an iEGFR effectiveness, which is currently confirmed by different data. Thus, the prevention and prompt management of dermatologic adverse events is a pressing issue because they influence the anti-cancer treatment prognosis. This article reviews the current recommendations on the prevention and management of iEGFR associated acneiform rash. The authors present their own clinical case of a patient with acneiform rash during panitumumab (monoclonal antibody against EGFR) therapy.