Randomized, open-label trial evaluating the preventive effect of tetracycline on afatinib induced-skin toxicities in non-small cell lung cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Afatinib has shown long progression free survival and improvement in quality of life in advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) patients. Although afatinib causes acneiform rash, it can be manageable. Tetracyclines are usually used to treat it; nonetheless, there is no trial that evaluates their prophylactic efficacy on afatinib induced-skin toxicities (AIST). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This open-label, randomized, controlled trial assessed the preventive effect of tetracycline for reducing afatinib-skin toxicities in NSCLC patients receiving afatinib 40 mg/day. Patients were randomly assigned to receive pre-emptive treatment with tetracycline 250 mg every 12h for 4 weeks or not. Reactive treatment in both groups included general dermatological recommendations such as use of skin moisturizers, sunscreen and topical steroids, according to toxicity severity. All patients were blindly monitored for skin toxicities by an expert dermatologist at the start of treatment with afatinib (day 0), weeks 2 and 4 of treatment. The protocol is registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01880515). RESULTS: We included 90 patients, no differences were found in clinical and dermatological baseline characteristics. Rash incidence of any grade, and grade ≥2 was less frequent in the pre-emptive arm vs. the control arm (44.5 vs. 75.6%, RR 0.4 [95% CI 0.17-0.99], p=0.046 and 15.6 vs. 35.6%, RR 0.35 [95% CI, 0.12-0.91], p=0.030, respectively). No difference was found in paronychia, xerosis, mucositis, folliculitis, and skin fissure. No adverse event was associated with tetracycline. Neither rash nor pre-emptive tetracycline impacted on response rate, progression-free or overall survivals. CONCLUSION: Pre-emptive tetracycline was well tolerated and reduced the rash incidence and severity associated with afatinib in more than 60%.

Graft-versus-host disease, an eight case report and literature review

La enfermedad de injerto contra huésped (EICH) es una complicación frecuente del paciente con transplante de médula ósea (TMO). Es un síndrome caracterizado por enfermedad sistémica y bucal. Dependiendo del tiempo de aparición de las lesiones, se le divide en aguda y crónica. En la cavidad bucal se manifiesta con lesiones reticulares liquenoides, eritema, ulceras, xerostomía, ocasionalmente mucoceles y granulomas piógenos. Objetivos: Describir las manifestaciones bucales de EICH en 8 pacientes con TMO alogénico, y discutir el diagnóstico y tratamiento de las lesiones de la EICH y las asociadas al tratamiento inmunosupresor en estos pacientes. Diseño del estudio: En el transcurso de un año se examinó la mucosa bucal de ocho pacientes consecutivos con TMO alogénico en la consulta externa de dermatología del Instituto Nacional de Cancerología de la Ciudad de México para identificar la presencia de lesiones en la mucosa bucal. Resultados: Fueron cinco hombres y 3 mujeres, con edades de 24.8 ± 9.7 años. Cuatro recibieron TMO por leucemia granulocitica crónica, dos por leucemia mieloblástica aguda, uno por leucemia linfoblástica aguda, y uno por anemia aplásica. Tres pacientes desarrollaron EICH aguda, con lesiones en la mucosa bucal de aspecto reticular, eritema y mucositis, y los 8 pacientes desarrollaron EICH crónica, con lesiones reticulares, eritema, y ulceras. Un paciente presentó granulomas piógenos en lengua y carrillos. Seis informaron xerostomía. Otras lesiones bucales, asociadas a inmunosupresión medicamentosa, fueron candidosis y herpes simple bucal. Conclusiones: Los pacientes con EICH frecuentemente desarrollan lesiones bucales, algunas de ellas impiden una alimentación normal, por lo que es fundamental su diagnóstico y tratamiento oportunos para mejorar la calidad de vida de los pacientes afectados. Se propone una forma alternativa de tratamiento para los granulomas piógenos

Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a common complication in bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients. It is characterizedby systemic and oral cavity alterations. Depending on the timing of lesions, GVHD is classified as acute or chronic. Alterations in the oral cavity are lichenoid reticular lesions, erythema, ulcerations, and xerostomia. Sporadically, mucocele and pyogenic granulomas can be present. Aim: To describe GVHD oral manifestations in eight allogenic BMT patients, and discuss GVHD and drug-immunosuppresion associated lesions diagnosis and treatment. Study design: For a year, we examined the oral mucosa of eight consecutive allogenic BMT patients attending the Dermatology out-patient clinic at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (National Institute of Oncology) in Mexico City, looking for oral mucosa lesions. Results: Patients were five men and three women, ages 24.8 ± 9.7 years. Four had a BMT because of chronic granulocytic-, two for acute myeloblastic-, one for acute lymphoblastic- leukemia, and one for aplastic anemia. Three patients developed acute GVHD, with reticular oral mucosa lesions, erythema and mucositis; and all eight developedchronic GVHD, with reticular oral lesions, erythema, and ulcerations. A Patient had tongue and cheek pyogenic granulomas. Six reported xerostomía. Other oral lesions, associated to drug-immunosuppression, were candidiasis and herpes simplex. Conclusions: Patients with GVHD frequently develop oral lesions, some of which interfere with normal feeding; timely diagnosis and treatment are therefore essential to improve the quality of life of affected patients. We propose an alternative treatment for pyogenic granulomas