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Case Reports
. 2013 Jun 6;5(2):163-7.
doi: 10.1159/000351874. Print 2013 May.

Chromonychia secondary to chemotherapy

Marien Lopes  1 , Clarice Jordão, Rachel Grynszpan, Celso Sodré, Marcia Ramos-E-Silva
Affiliations
Case Reports

Chromonychia secondary to chemotherapy

Marien Lopes et al. Case Rep Dermatol. .

Abstract

Chemotherapy drugs can affect the skin and its appendages. Several clinical presentations can be observed, depending on the affected structure. The most common dermatological side effect is chromonychia. The main causative agents are: (1) cyclophosphamide, which can provoke a diffuse, black pigmentation, longitudinal striae and dark grey pigmentation located proximally on the nails; (2) doxorubicin, which promotes dark brown bands alternating with white striae and dark brown pigmentation in transverse bands, and (3) hydroxyurea, which produces a distal, diffuse, dark brown pigmentation. In the majority of cases, the effects are reversible after the suspension of the causative agent for a few months. We report a patient who developed chromonychia while undergoing treatment with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, dexamethasone, methotrexate and cytarabine for acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Keywords: Chemotherapy; Chromonychia; Cyclophosphamide; Doxorubicin; Hydroxyurea.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Nail involvement of all fingers.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Transverse, brown-greyish hyperpigmentation on the proximal half of the nail lamina, with a brownish band delimiting the healthy nail.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Close-up of the lesion.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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