Evaluation of the efficacy of topical cosmetic products in patients with hand-and-foot syndrome undergoing oncological treatments

BACKGROUND: Hand-foot syndrome (HFS) is a complication of many anticancer therapies and negatively affects patients' quality of life (QoL). Currently, little data are available on using non-pharmacological skin products as standard therapy for HFS. AIM: This study aims to investigate whether a specific set of cosmetic products is effective for managing HFS skin side effects in cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This single-arm study involved 53 cancer patients with grade 1 of HFS undergoing chemotherapy, targeted, or hormonal treatments at the European Institute of Oncology (IEO). The study included a baseline visit and a follow-up visit 45 days later. All enrolled patients were prescribed a set of four cosmetic products for skin treatment. Patients underwent instrumental measurement to evaluate skin hydration and erythema while their QoL was assessed using the Skindex-16 self-questionnaire. Additionally, physicians clinically evaluated the HFS severity, using the CTCAE (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events) scale and by comparing patient photographs. RESULTS: No patients worsened. After 45 days, the application of the cosmetic set increases skin hydration by 33% (p < 0.0001), while skin erythema decreases by 82,9% (p < 0.0001). Patients also showed a significantly lower mean Skindex-16 score at 45 days (-35.5%, p < 0.0001) compared to baseline. These findings were associated with clinical improvement in HFS-related skin symptoms in 58.5% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that a set of cosmetic products specific for cancer skin care can effectively manage HFS-related symptoms, resulting in improved QoL for patients, regardless of the anticancer treatment received.