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Topical Cream Effective Against Cetuximab-Induced Acne-Like Rash: Presented at ESMO-GI
By Jenny Powers
BARCELONA, Spain -- July 2, 2009 -- Skin toxicities that result from cetuximab treatment can be effectively managed with a vitamin K-based topical cream, thus maximising treatment efficacy and improving patient quality of life, researchers stated here at the 11th World Gastrointestinal Cancer Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO-GI).
Janja Ocvirk, MD, Institute of Oncology, Ljubljana, Slovenia, designed this trial to test the efficacy of vitamin K cream against skin toxicities such as acne-like rash, pruritus, dry skin, desquamation, hypertrichosis, and nail disorders that develop in 80% of patients treated with cetuximab. Findings were presented on June 25.
The study enrolled 79 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who received weekly cetuximab in addition to their chemotherapy.
An acne-like rash developed in 69 (87%) patients within 1.2 weeks (median range 1-4 weeks) after cetuximab infusions: grade 3 (n = 20, 25%), grade 2 (n= 38, 48%), and grade 1 (n = 11, 14%).
A cream containing urea and 0.1% vitamin K1 was applied topically 2 times daily upon development of the rash.
The application of vitamin K1 cream resulted in a gradual decrease in skin toxicity; median time to improvement was 1.2 weeks and the median time to downstaging of the rash by 1 grade was 2.3 weeks.
Patients with grade 1/2 rash did not require dose reductions or treatment delays, however 5 of 20 patients with grade 3 rash required dose reductions. Topical clindamycin was applied concomitantly in 12 of 20 and 2 of 38 patients with grade 3 and grade 2 acne-like rash, respectively.
No toxicity was associated with the topical use of vitamin K1 cream.
[Presentation title: Topical Application of Vitamin K1 Cream for Cetuximab-Related Skin Toxicities. Abstract PD-0021]
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