We present a case of hand-foot syndrome (HFS) induced by uracil/tegafur (UFT). A 54-year-old woman received surgical treatment for carcinoma of the mouth floor. Pathological tests performed after the operation revealed tumor cell invasion into the surrounding vein. She was administered UFT at 600 mg/day. The symptoms of HFS first appeared after she had received 64,200 mg of UFT. Subsequently, she developed erythema and bulla of the palms and soles of the feet. Her symptoms gradually exacerbated until she could no longer walk. Therefore, treatment with UFT was terminated, after she had received 106,200 mg of UFT. She was initially treated with a steroid ointment, but her symptoms did not improve; the symptoms improved only after she was treated with Hochuekkito.
UFT is one of the most effective oral chemotherapy regimens for head and neck cancer. However, in a few cases, HFS may result as a rare side effect of UFT therapy and may hinder the patient's quality of life (QOL). Therefore, early treatment of HFS is required, and the findings of this study show that Hochuekkito may prove efficacious for its treatment.
