What is Hand-Foot Syndrome (HFS)?
HFS is a skin reaction that appears on the palms of the hands and/or the soles of the feet as a result of certain chemotherapy agents. It may also be referred to as acral erythema, palmar plantar erythema (PPE), or Burgdorf reaction. Chemotherapy drugs known to cause HFS include: capecitabine (Xeloda®), fluorouracil (5-FU), liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil®), doxorubicin (Adriamycin®), cytarabine (Ara-c®), hydroxyurea (Hydrea®), sunitinib (Sutent®) and sorafenib (Nexavar®). HFS can start as a feeling of tingling or numbness in the palms and/or soles, which progresses to swelling, redness, peeling skin, and tenderness or pain. If there is no change in the treatment, the hands and/or feet can blister (which can then become infected), becoming very painful and interfering with daily activities. It is very important to notify your doctor at the first sign of HFS. Most patients that develop HFS do so within the first few weeks of therapy, but it can also happen after being on the medication for
