Kerob D, Hennequin V, Bousquet G, Behm E, Lebbe C
Hôpital Saint-Louis, AP-HP, Paris, France.
Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2010 Nov;137(11):727-9. doi: 10.1016/j.annder.2010.06.026. Epub 2010 Sep 6.
Cetuximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody selective for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). It is increasingly used in epithelial cancer, often in combination with radiotherapy or chemotherapeutic agents, since it induces a broad range of cellular responses that enhance tumour sensitivity to these therapies. However, it can cause numerous adverse effects, the most common being acneiform eruption on the face and trunk, which is generally bilateral and symmetric.
Herein we present the first case of unilateral cetuximab-induced acneiform eruption in facial palsy.
To our knowledge the medical literature contains no other such cases. Our hypothesis is that lymphoedema associated with facial palsy reduces lymphatic drainage, promoting the deposition of cetuximab on EGFR and persistence of local signs.
