Radiation-Induced Prevention of Erlotinib-Induced Skin Rash Is Transient: A New Aspect Toward the Understanding of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitor-Associated Cutaneous Adverse Effects

摘要

To the Editor: We read with great interest the article of Sankha Mitra and Richard Simcock, as well as the article of Mario E. Lacouture et al, concerning epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor (EGFRI) -induced cutaneous adverse effects in preirradiated areas. Mitra and Simcock present a case in which the characteristic papulopustular rash induced by the EGFRI erlotinib completely spares a preirradiated area on the back of a 56-year-old man with adenocarcinoma. Radiotherapy had been initiated approximately 12 months before erlotinib therapy and was completed 3 weeks before the rash developed. Conversely, Lacouture et al present a case of an 84-year-old woman with non-small-cell lung cancer who received 2 weeks of radiation on her chest just before initiation of erlotinib therapy. Interestingly, after 5 days of erlotinib therapy, this patient developed a mild papulopustular rash on her face, but a severe rash to the preirradiated area on her chest.