HIGH-INCIDENCE OF CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED ACRAL ERYTHEMA IN FEMALE-PATIENTS WITH NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA TREATED WITH THE VACOP-B REGIMEN

Seven patients, all females out of 29 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL )(16 males and 13 females) treated with the VACOP-B regimen utilizing granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) support developed chemot herapy-induced acral erythema (CAE). In contrast, none of 32 patients with NHL who were treated with CHOP, MACOP-B, or biweekly CHOP regimen s without G-CSF developed CAE. Total dose intensities of VACOP-B regim en were higher than those of the three other regimens. However, no sig nificant difference in dose intensities of each drug in the patients t reated with the VACOP-B regimen was found between male and female pati ents and between female patients with or without CAE. The cause of the high incidence of CAE (7/13) in the female patients treated with VACO P-B regimen remains unknown. However, female sex hormones may increase susceptibility to CAE. Since the occurrence of CAE interrupts intensi ve chemotherapy and reduces the cure rate, high risk patients for CAE should be carefully monitored for early symptoms and signs of CAE and should be treated early and appropriately.