According to data presented at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco, skin-associated toxicities can be avoided to a significant extent with a pre-emptive and prophylactic skin regimen in patients receiving panitumumab for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.

Edith Mitchell, M.D., a clinical professor in the Department of Medical Oncology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, presented study data. This study was co-led by Dr. Mitchell and Mario Lacouture, M.D., an assistant professor of Dermatology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

From News-Medical.Net:

“Panitumumab and the other EGFR inhibitors are now key components to the treatment strategies for metastatic colorectal cancer,” Dr. Mitchell said. “But the majority of the patients who receive these agents suffer from skin toxicities, and for some patients, the treatment must be interrupted or discontinued. If we can prevent or minimize these toxicities, it would be a significant advance in patient care.”

The researchers studied 95 patients receiving panitumumab in combination with irinotecan-based chemotherapy. The patients were randomized to receive pre-emptive skin toxicity treatment initiated 24 hours prior to the first dose of panitumumab, then given daily through week six, or reactive skin treatment after the skin toxicity developed. The skin treatment included moisturizers, sunscreen, topical steroids and oral doxycycline.

The primary endpoint was the incidence of specific grade 2 or higher skin toxicities during the six week skin treatment period. The incidence of these toxicities was reduced more than 50% in the group that received pre-emptive treatment.

It was remarked by Dr. Lacouture that the study supports the notion that it is better to treat prophylactically, than to wait for the side effect to fully develop.

Tags: chemotherapy, panitumumab, prophylactic skin, steroids

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