Dry Skin after Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

[Peny__0__0]

Posted by Penny on July 20, 1999 at 15:33:07
Dear Doctor:
This is a wonderful service...thank you so much!!
In January, 1999, I began chemotherapy for Breast Cancer.  The first round was an Adriamycin/Cytoxin combination.  Shortly after beginning chemo., I noticed that I no longer perspire anywhere on my body, except my head.  Also, my skin became very dry.  After the Adriamycin/Cytoxin therapy, I went onto Taxotere. After 2 treatments of Taxotere, I developed a skin rash which itched liked crazy and would pop up on various parts of my body (hands, feet, legs, etc.).  My chemotherapy ended on June 11th,  yet I still have dry skin and no perspiration.  Is this common?  Will I return to "normal" or is this something that I will have from now on?  
I will watch for you reply and again, thank you so much!
Penny

Posted by DERM M.D. ASR on July 22, 1999 at 11:19:05
Penny:
To be honest, I'm not familiar with your condition.  My gigantic 2,000-page textbook doesn't describe lack of sweating after chemotherapy, nor did a computer search yield anything.
As far as the lack of sweating goes, your best bet is to speak to oncologists (yours, to begin with) who use the drugs you got.  People who use a certain class of drugs all the time are most likely to be familiar with odd and unsusual side-effects, as well as their course (in other words, does the problem persist, and if so how long.)  In general, though, even potent medicines don't "change the body" in a permanent way.
As for the other problem, the itchy rash, that sounds more like a form of eczema which aduts can get out of the blue, so to speak.  It is most unlikely to be aa reaction to anything (reactions don't start after you stop a drug.)  If it persists, you ought to see a dermatologist, who can treat it quite easily with cortison-based creams.
Good luck, and thanks for your kind words.
Dr R
Keyowrds: chemotherapy, sweating, rash, eczema