Hand-foot syndrome induced changes of the palmar epidermal ridge configurations during and after treatment with capecitabine

Fingerprint change as a consequence of anticancer treatments: A systematic integrative review

OBJECTIVE

While it is widely acknowledged that fingerprint recognition has played an essential part in policing and forensic science, little is known about fingerprint alterations in medical science, specifically as a consequence of anticancer treatments. Thus, we aimed to analyze the extent of evidence between cancer treatments and fingerprint alterations in adults with cancer.

METHODS

A systematic integrative review was conducted according to the PRISMA statement and the Cochrane guidelines for conducting a systematic review. PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from the inception between August and November 2024. The quality appraisal was conducted to evaluate the methodological quality of the included articles, selecting the most appropriate tool based on the publication type and study design.

RESULTS

Of 176 records, we selected five experimental studies articles and nine case reports publications. A correlation between specific anticancer treatments (capecitabine, taxanes, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors) and fingerprint alterations has been documented in individuals with various cancer diagnoses (mainly advanced breast and colorectal cancers). The majority of articles were of moderate to low quality.

CONCLUSIONS

Although fingerprint alteration as a consequence of specific anticancer treatments has been documented, further large and well-designed experimental studies are necessary to quantify the phenomenon burden in relation to specific anticancer regimens and populations. PROSPERO REGISTRATION N: (CRD42024581192).

Utility of cooling patches to prevent hand-foot syndrome caused by pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) uses the hydrophilic layer of liposomes to reach the sweat on the skin surface or accumulate in the sweat glands, producing toxic free radicals and oxidative damage, resulting in hand-foot syndrome (HFS). Regional cooling can induce vasoconstriction to reduce the release of drugs in the limbs and reduce the accumulation of drugs in sweat glands; thus, decreasing the incidence and severity of HFS.

AIM

To study the efficacy of cooling patches to prevent HFS caused by PLD in the short-term.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study. Female breast cancer patients (n = 101) who were treated with PLD in two breast wards at our department from February 2020 to February 2021 were enrolled in the study and were randomly divided into the cooling group (51 patients) and the control group (50 patients). Patients in the control group only received routine care, while the patients in the cooling group applied cooling patches, based on routine care, to the palm and back of the hands 15 min before chemotherapy infusion for 10 h. All patients took a corresponding dose of dexamethasone orally one day before chemotherapy, on the day of chemotherapy, and one day after chemotherapy. SPSS23.0 version was used to analyze the data in this study. The occurrence and severity of HFS was analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U test, and scores were analyzed by the Student's t test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test. A P value < 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant.

RESULTS

In this study, neither group of patients developed Grade 3 HFS. In the control group, the incidence of Grade 1 HFS and Grade 2 HFS was 38% and 2%, respectively. However, in the cooling group, only one person developed Grade 1 HFS (2%), and none of the patients developed Grade 2 HFS. These findings showed that cooling patches can effectively reduce the frequency and severity of HFS (P < 0.0001) in the short-term. Before the fourth chemotherapy cycle, although general self-efficacy scale scores in the cooling group were low, they were still significantly higher than those in the control group (17.22 ± 5.16 vs 19.63 ± 6.42, P = 0.041). Compared with the control group, the mean Hand-Foot Skin Reaction and Quality of Life Questionnaire score in the cooling group was significantly lower (18.08 ± 7.01 vs 14.20 ± 7.39, P = 0.008).

CONCLUSION

Cooling patches can effectively reduce the frequency and severity of HFS caused by PLD in the short-term. In addition, it may help delay the decline in patients' self-efficacy.