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Review
. 2000 May 15;88(10):2367-71.
doi: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(20000515)88:10<2367::aid-cncr22>3.0.co;2-#.

Onycholysis as a complication of systemic chemotherapy: report of five cases associated with prolonged weekly paclitaxel therapy and review of the literature

S Hussain  1 , D N Anderson, M E Salvatti, B Adamson, M McManus, A S Braverman
Affiliations
Review

Onycholysis as a complication of systemic chemotherapy: report of five cases associated with prolonged weekly paclitaxel therapy and review of the literature

S Hussain et al. Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: Onycholysis has been reported in association with the use of several noncytotoxic drugs and with chemotherapy in 135 patients. Onycholysis may be precipitated by exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

Methods: The authors studied 91 patients who received paclitaxel and 187 patients who received doxorubicin.

Results: Onycholysis occurred in 5 of 21 patients who received > 6 courses of weekly paclitaxel, developing in the summer months in all 5 patients. It did not occur in patients who received fewer weekly paclitaxel courses or those who were treated every 3 weeks. Onycholysis did not occur in 187 patients who received doxorubicin. Review of the literature revealed that onycholysis is nearly exclusively associated with anthracycline and taxane therapy.

Conclusions: Prolonged weekly paclitaxel, other taxanes, and anthracyclines cause onycholysis in some patients, which may be precipitated by exposure to sunlight. Patients receiving these drugs should protect their nails from sunlight.

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