spotty rash with Herceptin

I just had my 9th Herceptin treatment on Oct.25/07.  I've gotten a spotty itchy rash in my ankles, knees and inner legs right from day 1.   The last treatment (9th) is my first time not getting the rash, so I'm hoping that side effect has passed.  I got a prescription cream from my Oncologist for the rash.

Hi,

I finished 52 Herceptin infusions a couple of years ago.  Taxol caused me to have a spotty itchy rash which continued with each Herceptin infusion for a good while and finally began to dissipate.  I cannot remember how many but it was quite a while.  I used Benedyrl tablets and topical cream.  Good luck ladies.  Janie

Hi! I am looking for some advice - I had eight doses of herceptin, once per week with taxol every other week. My Dr. thinks that herceptin is the culprit for my itching. I didn't break out in a rash (possibly hives) until week 2 of herceptin. I took taxol w/herceptin the first week. It started out as a rash then turned in to a severe rash. I was given steroid pills (prednisone) to treat it. The severe rash/hives? was gone in a couple of days but the itching never stopped. Some days were worse than others. The first 3-4 weeks, the itching was irregular but irritating! Then the itching got worse. I had to take 2-3 baths per day just to find instant relief from the frequent itching. I went to see a dermatologist who indicated that I had "dermagraphism" I believe is what it was labeled. It's a form of hives. Once I stopped taking herceptin, the itching/rash was gone within 2 weeks. I don't know if I will resume taking herceptin or not. My Dr. indicates that there are no comparison studies that have been done that indicate whether 8 weeks of herceptin or 52 weeks makes a difference with long term survival. I was discouraged to hear that there isn't any research to help me make a better decision whether to continue w/herceptin or not. If you have any medical knowledge or first hand experience, please respond. I have a couple of months to decide if I am going to try taking herceptin again. Right now, I am taking cytoxin/adriamyacin  (chemo drug) only. Thanks!  --- Shawna

Glad to hear that you have had a better outcome since your 9th treatment with herceptin. I made it to week 8 of herceptin before I stopped taking it. I had surgery (mastectomy) then started my 2nd round of chemo so I don't know yet if I will resume taking herceptin once I am done with my 2nd round of chemo. Are things still going well for you? How many doses of herceptin will you take? Have you had to use any anti-itch meds other than an ointment? Benadryl made me too tired so I tried taking something else (atarax and generic benadryl) but I didn't have much itching relief with either of these.

Lakonia - good luck with your herceptin treatment tomorrow. How many doses of herceptin have you had now? My oncologist doesn't think it would be a good idea to give me a larger dose of herceptin every three weeks b/c of the severe itching that I have had. That's why I was taking a smaller dose weekly up til I had surgery. Do you know what Piriton is, is it a steroid by chance? Just curious before I talk to my Dr. about it. It's so hard to know whether the itching/rash would get better or worse the longer that I take herceptin - my oncologist has said the same thing! I will keep in touch with you to see how you are doing with your herceptin treatment. Are you taking any other chemo drugs right now or just herceptin? Thanks for your reply! I will touch base with you soon.

God Bless - Shawna 

I have a spotty rash all over my hands.  My ono says it looks like contact derm, but I don't thinks so, I think it is from the drugs(I'm on taxol and herceptin).  Went to a derm. dr. and he doesn't know what it is so he did a biopsy.  It looks really nasty, if as my skin has been in too much heat and my skin is looking very wrinkly.  Any idea how to get rid of it.  I will be on a new treatment of herceptin only every 3 weeks til Sept 08 in Dec.

thanks,

Pat

Hi Lakonia-I had my last treatment last Wed, will have another tomorrow.  I am fortunate that it does not itch.  I think I have it on my eyelids too.  I wear makeup when I am out so it is not noticable, but I need to show it to the derm dr next week when I get the results of the biopsy that is to tell me what it is.  It is just unsitely because it is right on my hands.  I have been putting honey moisturizer on it which makes it feel softer.  The cortisone cream did not work and I get steroids and benadryl with my treatment.  I think I am just going to have to live with it til the treatment is over in Sept.

Thanks,

Pat

I got spotty itchy rash last month after my Herceptin. neck area.  Dr. had it biopsied, came back as "a reaction to the Herceptin or a reaction to the cancer."  it's back again, bigger with this last treatment.  Driving me crazy, but I've always been a tad crazy anyway.

I hope it goes away with time like some of yours as I will be on Herceptin until I can't take it anymore.

My best to all,

Di

I am scheduled for 52wks.of Herceptin.These are done weekly. I take  1 Benadryl & 2tylenol before tx. when I leave home for my tx.this is per.doc.instructions.Cuts down the time I am there,so they don't have to run through my port.I should have last tx.1st.wk.in Nov.Never had a problem until last week.About 6hrs.after tx.palms of my hands started itching,then my hips.I broke out in whelps all around my hips,inside my upper legs and across stomach.Called my onc.doc.they called in a script of medrol dose pak.(prednisone)cleared up by next day.Tomorrow I am scheduled for a double dose tx.because of going out of town for two weeks.Hoping I won't have any reaction.My onc.doc would not give Herceptin along with any chemo.and I wonder why some do.I had 8mos.of chemo.& 33 radiation tx.The only other time I had a severe reaction of this nature was from Celebrax and my throat almost closed up by the time I got medical help.At least now I know what reaction signs to watch out for.Herceptin is a wonderful drug for those of us with the HER-2 factor so I am willling to take my chances.Good luck to all you breast cancer survivors.

Tomorrow I have my 6th of 52 Herceptin treatments--and this week I developed a rash on my face--yuk---

Hi Eagle,

I ended a 52 week course of Herceptin mid-July of 2008.  In August 2008 I developed a severe "hive-like" rash on both legs, starting just at the ankles, back and sides, and even worse on the inside of my thighs almost up to my groin.  I was referred to a dermatologist who diagnosed "contact dermatitis" and gave me an RX for prednisone and triamacinolone acetonide 0.5% cream for relief.   After a few weeks it subsided.  During the first week of October 2009 the rash came back 20 times worse -- most in the same area, but now also on my forearms.  My primary care dtr. prescribed prednisone and the cream.  After taking the prednisone as directed, 10 mg., 6 the first day, then counting down to 1 on the last day, it helped a lot.  Within a few days it was back again!  I went back to the dermatologist, who again said it was an "allergic reaction" to something and he gave me a shot of triamincinilone, a new RX for 5 mg of Prednisone, and a new supply of the triamincinolone cream.  He informed me that I may have to take Prednisone for a 3-6 or even perhaps a 9 month period to fight this.  He added that I may also have to be referred to an allergist to figure out just what might be causing this. He advised me it may in fact spread to my entire body. I have an follow-up with the derm. on 10/29/09.

I have not changed detergents, soaps, eating habits, nothing.  I am so frustrated and the itch and grossness of this rash is extremely irritating and making me edgy and unable to sleep due to itch and my mind working overtime to figure this out.  I finally thought about chemotherapy treatment and the Herceptin I had undergone.  

I want to learn more about the long term side effects of Herceptin and really don't see anything online yet that is reliable and educational or even addresses this issue.

Did you ever find out if your rash was actually caused by Herceptin?  Or a mixture of regular chemo and Herceptin?  Any and all information you, or anyone on this site can prove me I will appreciate with all my heart.

Best of luck in your recovery.

Donna J 

had 4 herceptin and now have 5 sores about the size of a quarter. Lois

It was around the eighth Herceptin infusion I broke out around my waist, sides of buttocks, to my thighs. It wasn't itchy. RO said it was due to radiation. Onco said it was due to chemo. PCP said it was probably an allergic reaction. He prescribed steroids and the rash went away. It was never itchy just lots of red spots all over my midsection. In fact, I didn't even know I had it until I lifted my shirt to apply moisturizer to the radiated breast. The rash cleared up in a little over a week and so far has not appeared again.

I am on Herceptin and Perjeta for life. Since finishing Chemo last June My rash began on one shoulder and spread down my arms and became unbearable. Nothing helped. A couple of weeks back I caught a cold and decided to treat it with lots of vitamin C. I took a gram every 1/2 hour. My cold got better but also my rash disappeared. I have continued to take Vit C and have not been bothered by the rash since. I'm not giving advice here, but I thought it would be selfish not to share my experience!