Cutaneous reactions to treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor present a therapeutic challenge because there have been no controlled clinical trials to inform treatment decisions. We report herein the successful use of low-dose acitretin for treatment of an extensive pustular eruption induced by erlotinib.
A 57-year-old woman with metastatic pancreatic cancer presented with a 10-day history of severe erythematous pustules. The rapidly progressive eruption began on the face 4 days after erlotinib therapy, 100 mg/d, was initiated; it was pruritic and extremely painful.