Paronychia induced by the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor cetuximab

Lee, Soo Lin
Tan, Boon Seang
Chan, Lee Chin

Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia
Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Hospital Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Department of Dermatology, Hospital Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Soo Lin Lee, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden 11800, Penang, Malaysia. Email: [email protected]

Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice 19(3):p 273-278, September 2013. | DOI: 10.1177/1078155212461289

While the development of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors has been hailed as a remarkable triumph in the field of oncology, it has inherited with it a host of cutaneous side-effects that have been increasingly observed in a substantial number of patients in the recent years. One cutaneous manifestation that may inflict significant pain and affect activities of daily living among some of the patients receiving epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors is paronychia. A case of paronychia associated with the use of cetuximab in the management of KRAS wild-type midrectal adenocarcinoma along with its management has been described.