The nail toxicities related to chemotherapy reduced by wearing a cooling glove

A cooling glove preventing nail and skin toxicities associated with certain chemotherapy drugs is used successfully in the oncology department of the hospital group HEGP-Broussais in Paris

Presented at the American ASCO, the study led by Dr. Florian Scotté (oncology department Professor Andrieu in HEGP-Broussais hospital group) gave excellent results in the prevention of discoloration, the separation and loss of the nail cancer patients treated with chemotherapy.

The cooling glove is based on the same principle as the cooling helmet, which has been proven in the prevention of hair loss caused by chemotherapy, told Reuters Health Dr. Scotté. Causing unevasoconstriction, the application of cold glove reduces contact between the hair root or the base of the nail and the drug administered, thereby limiting the risk of side effects.

These can be purely aesthetic and are known as Grade 1 (discoloration, ie color of the nail), or they can cause pain, and are said to grade 2 (or fall detachment of the nail).

The so-called case-control study examined fifty patients. All wore the glove on one hand and kept the other free. Half (51%) patients showed an discoloration (29%), a mycolyse (22%) at the glove without hand, against 11% at the hand and glove with only grade 1 says Dr. Scotté.

The gloves have also proven effective in the prevention of dry skin, reducing its incidence from 53% to 24%, he added.

According to him, "This is a real breakthrough in comfort to provide patients during chemotherapy." Evidenced by the level of satisfaction, which reached 86% of patients. The only cons-indications are cold intolerance, Raynaud's syndrome and distal metastases.

Since the end of the study, these gloves are used when necessary in the cancer ward of the hospital group HEGP-Broussais. The distribution company, Acromed, is responsible for expanding their use to other institutions.

Relatively expensive (95 euros glove at 2 pairs chemotherapy), however they can be used for several years in a row, the coolant after use at -20 ° C about 12 hours before treatment.

In addition, a prototype for the feet is under construction and should be a future study on the prevention of harm to nail this level of the body.