Evaluation of effectiveness of combined supportive treatment for paronychia and pyogenic granulomas, associated with targeted anticancer therapy

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Paronychia and pyogenic granulomas occur in 1050% of patients treated with epidermal growth receptor (EGFR) inhibitors. Supportive therapy for periungual lesions is challenging, since these adverse reactions are prone to torpidity and frequent relapses. AIM: to evaluate the effectiveness of supportive treatment for paronychia and pyogenic granulomas ― dermatologic adverse events of EGFR inhibitors, with a combined cream with betamethasone dipropionate, clotrimazole, gentamicin, and betaxolol solution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 16 patients with paronychia and pyogenic granulomas associated with EGFR inhibitor therapy were included in a 12-week open-label prospective study. Paronychia and pyogenic granulomas severity assessment was performed with the NCI-CTCAE v. 5.0, a developed 10-point scale. The intensity of pain was assessed with a visual-analogue scale (VAS). The quality of life was assessed with the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). RESULTS: A significant improvement of all parameters (p 0.05) was evaluated from week 1, indicating the effective reduction of dermatologic adverse event objective and subjective symptoms, improvement of patients quality of life. By the end of the study, 37.5% of patients had complete resolution of lesions, 62.5% of patients had minimal residual erythema. Decrease of pain sensation in the affected periungual folds was observed throughout the study (p 0.05). DLQI score indicated the "small effect" of paronychia and pyogenic granulomas on patients life by the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Supportive treatment of paronychia and pyogenic granulomas with a combined cream with betamethasone dipropionate, clotrimazole and gentamicin and a betaxolol 0.25% solution is effective in the management of paronychia and pyogenic granulomas objective and subjective symptoms, has a high tolerability, allows to improve patients quality of life and continue targeted therapy without dose reduction. Long-term maintenance of pain sensation after paronychia and pyogenic granulomas resolution underlines the need for additional treatment options that will improve the effectiveness of pain management.