article
Reply to: Skin moisturization for xerosis related to targeted anticancer therapies
Autor
Valentine, Johannah
Reddy Belum, Viswanath
Duran, Juanita
Ciccolini, Kathryn
Schindler, Katja
Wu, Shenhong
Lacouture, Mario E.
Institución
Resumen
To the Editor: We would like to thank Drs Gisondi and Girolomoni for their comments regarding the treatment of xerosis. We agree that salicylic acid and ammonium lactate should be used judiciously, and only on areas of hyperkeratosis without evident dermatitis, as is commonly seen in patients treated with targeted therapies. Indeed, targeted therapies lead to aberrant keratinocyte proliferation, migration, differentiation, and adhesion, all of which result in xerotic skin with retention hyperkeratosis.1 Patients receiving targeted therapies who develop xerosis and hyperkeratosis require rapid resolution of findings, because progression into a grade 3 adverse event dictates interruption, dose decrease, or discontinuation of life-prolonging anticancer treatments. Therefore, according to the treatment algorithm in Fig 4 of our manuscript, salicylic acid or ammonium lactate is to be used in conjunction with emollients and topical steroids to eczematous areas.2 These treatment recommendations are based on clinical experience at a dermatology referral clinic for patients on targeted therapies started in 2006.3