Henna Application in the Prevention of Capecitabine-Induced Hand-Foot Syndrome in Breast and Colorectal Cancer Patients

Abstract

AIM: This study investigates the prophylactic effect of henna on the occurrence of hand-foot syndrome (HFS) in patients receivingcapecitabine for breast and colorectal cancer.METHOD: This experimental study was carried out between May 2014 and May 2015. In this self-control experimental study, 52patients with breast and colorectal cancer were included on the first day of capecitabine treatment and had a minimum follow-upof 3 cycles. One hand/foot of each patient constituted the study hand/foot, whereas the others constituted the control. Henna wasadministered to the study hand/foot on the first day of treatment and application renewed weekly. Development of grade 1–3 toxicitywas set as the termination criterion for study.RESULTS: Painful skin changes such as rawness, intumescence and bulla formation, blocking the daily activities or self-care wereobserved in 26.9% of the patients in the 3rd or 4th cycles of treatment. Development time and severity of skin changes over time didnot differ significantly between the study and the control hand/foot.CONCLUSION: Further studies with a larger sample size are needed to conclude on the prophylactic effect of henna in the managementof the HFS