Open AccessHypertrichosis, trichomegaly, and androgenic alopecia related to cetuximab treatment
Author(s) -
Sema Türker,
Ebru Çılbır,
Cengiz Karaçin,
Mustafa Altınbaş
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of cancer research and therapeutics/journal of cancer research and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.475
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 0973-1482
pISSN - 1998-4138
DOI - 10.4103/jcrt.jcrt_343_17
Subject(s) - medicine , hypertrichosis , cetuximab , hirsutism , dermatology , folinic acid , oncology , chemotherapy , cancer , fluorouracil , colorectal cancer , polycystic ovary , insulin , insulin resistance
Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies are mainly used in the treatment of advanced stages of solid tumors as a targeted therapy to inhibit tumor proliferation. They cause many dermatological adverse reactions through inhibition of EGFR pathway in the skin. A 39-year-old female patient diagnosed with metastatic colon adenocarcinoma received oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and folinic acid regimen with cetuximab. The patient noticed increase in fairy hair especially at facial area as well as in the whole body beginning after the first few cycles of treatment, after 3 months. Obvious hypertrichosis, androgenic alopecia, and trichomegaly were observed. Blood tests for androgenetic alopecia and hirsutism were studied. Hormonal levels were in normal range. Upper abdominal imaging to rule out any adrenal lesion was also normal. Previous studies reported found that cetuximab may cause alopecia, hypertrichosis on face and body, and trichomegaly. We have not encountered a combination of hypertrichosis, androgenic type alopecia, and trichomegaly in the literature.