A recent study published by Menta et al in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology found that many people misunderstand how common skin, hair, and nail side effects are during cancer treatment—and those fears may lead some to avoid or delay care.
Conducted by researchers at the George Washington University and Georgetown University, the study surveyed attendees at two health fairs in medically underserved areas of southeast Washington, DC. Most of the participants were women and Black or African American adults. The survey was completed by 77 individuals, 21% of whom had previously been treated for cancer.
Researchers found that many people believe dermatologic side effects such as hair loss, rashes, and nail changes happen more often than they actually do during anticancer therapies.
Key Findings
There were key differences between understanding of these side effects between patients with no history of cancer and those who had previously received anticancer therapies. One-third of participants with no cancer history said permanent hair loss might make them refuse treatment, compared with 13% of those who had already received anticancer treatment. Other factors cited for potentially or definitely refusing treatment were temporary eyebrow/eyelash hair loss (27% among those with no cancer history vs 13% of those who had received prior cancer therapy) and permanent nail discoloration (24% vs 13%).
Half of those surveyed who had received prior cancer treatment reported never seeing a dermatologist while receiving care.
Most of those surveyed—those with no cancer history as well as cancer survivors—believed that dermatologic side effects of cancer therapy occurred at high rates; for example, hair loss is reported to occur in about 15% of patients who receive targeted therapy and a little over half of patients treated with standard chemotherapy. Most survey respondents reported that they believed hair loss happens much more frequently than half the time, however.
The study authors also noted: “While this pilot survey posed hypothetical scenarios to respondents, the rates of potentially declining treatment exceeded prior research, which demonstrated that 8% of breast cancer patients rejected chemotherapy due to hair loss.”
“These findings show how powerful fear and misunderstanding can be,” said senior author Adam Friedman, MD, FAAD, Chair of Dermatology at George Washington University. “We need better education and support to help patients make informed choices.”
The researchers recommend stronger partnerships among dermatologists, oncologists, and primary care doctors to ensure patients understand side effects and available treatments.
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit jddonline.com.
