Nail toxicities associated with systemic anticancer therapy

Nail toxicities are a common but often overlooked side effect of systemic anticancer therapy (SACT) and can have significant adverse effects on patients’ quality of life and emotional well-being. This article explores the literature on nail toxicities associated with different types of SACT. It details the results of a large-scale UK patient survey (n=1,352) aimed at assessing patients’ awareness of nail damage as a side effect of SACT and of the information and support they receive regarding nail health. The results suggest there is a substantial gap between the high incidence of nail toxicities and patients’ awareness of them; that patients are often unprepared for this side effect of SACT; and that they lack access to adequate evidence-based preventive and supportive interventions. The article outlines evidence-based strategies that cancer nurses can use to support the prevention, assessment and treatment of nail toxicities in patients receiving SACT.