General Urooncology

An approach to dermatological side effects of targeted therapies

  • Cemal Bilaç
  • Sedef Bayata
  • Serap Öztürkcan

Bull Urooncol 2012;11(4):295-300

Over the last few years, novel therapy agents specifically targeted for cancer cells with acceptable adverse events profile, in the field of onchology have been introduced. These agents act by influencing proteins and genes which regulate tumor growth and development. Along with these new family of drugs, which are more easily tolerated compared to standard chemotherapeutics, new and specific dermatological side effects were reported. Among them especially papulopustular eruption caused by epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors and hand-foot skin reaction caused by multikinase inhibitors are well defined. When prescribing these drugs, it is important to know and keep these possible adverse reactions in mind in order to inform patients, to recognize the specific side effects on time and treat properly, which will in turn increase the patients' quality of life.

Keywords: Targeted therapy, dermatologic complications