Cutaneous Side Effects of New Antitumor Drugs Clinical Features and Management

Background: Many new antitumor drugs have been approved in recent years. Their side-effect profiles are distinct from those of older drugs, and their adverse effects are sometimes highly specific, particularly with respect to the skin. Methods: This article is based on articles retrieved by a selective search in Medline and the database of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), as well as on the authors' personal experience. Results: Cutaneous adverse effects are among the more common adverse effects of new antitumor drugs: they occur in up to 34% of patients receiving multikinase inhibitors, up to 90% of those receiving selective tyrosine kinase inhibitors (such as EGFR or mutant BRAF inhibitors), and up to 68% of those receiving immuno-therapeutic agents (such as CTLA4 inhibitors). These adverse effects can be correlated with therapeutic benefit, but they can also be treatment-limiting because of their severity or visibility. Conclusion: The recognition and proper management of cutaneous adverse effects is an important part of treatment with new antitumor drugs.