Chemo head rash (or maybe NUBEQA)

[Gl448]

I don’t see a lot of posts in this form about developing a rash on your scalp after chemo.

Looking for any home remedies or OTC products others who’ve experienced this might suggest.

My scalp started itching on Friday (day 8 after first docetaxel), then on Saturday a bunch of red bumps appeared and today bumps worse and itching.

Dr Google says this is a normal side effect of chemo after the first or second session.

I’m using Aveeno and hydrocortisone cream to try to treat it. Will contact doctor tomorrow if no sign of improvement.

Rash is a 1% occurrence of NUBEQA, which I started two days before docetaxel, but I’m leaning towards chemo as the cause.

Also osting here to warn others who haven’t started chemo that this is a possible side effect

[Tall_Allen]

Claritin or a similar antihistamine may help.

[Gl448 in reply to Tall_Allen]

I just took a Claritin. Thanks.

[Jancapper]

Benadryl and the 1% OTC hydrocortisone should help.

[NIKKIWOOD]

Sometime after I started cancer treatment, it seemed like the skin on various parts of my body just kind of exploded; before reading your post, it never occurred to me that all of these issues might be somehow related either to the cancer or the treatment. In any event I saw a dermatologist who loaded me up with several prescription salves, along with a shampoo (Ketoconazole), which solved all my various skin problems.

[AlvinSD]

My scalp got dry, flaky and itchy at the crown of my head. No rash like that but I was taking Claritin to help with other side effects. A friend who is an esthetician suggested Aquaphor ointment twice a day and that worked great.

[rsgdmd]

I got rashes on my arms after round 5. Used hydrocortisone cream for the itchyness. Faded after about 6 weeks.

[Gl448 in reply to rsgdmd]

Six weeks. Yikes. Guess I’ll be in a hat for a while.

[Teacherdude72]

Been on Nubeqa almost 2 years and no rash or side effects other than the lupron SE's

[Gl448 in reply to Teacherdude72]

I’m sure my rash is from the docetaxel.

NUBEQA can cause rash which is why I mentioned, though it’s small percentage of patients:

The most common side effects of hormone therapy + NUBEQA vs hormone therapy alone are

Feeling more tired than usual (16% vs 11% on hormone therapy alone)

Pain in arm, leg, hand, or foot (6% vs 3% on hormone therapy alone)

Rash (4% vs 1.4% on hormone therapy alone)

Decreased white blood cells (neutropenia; 20% vs 9% on hormone therapy alone)

[Teacherdude72 in reply to Gl448]

Spot on with SE's. I offset with gym time, longer sleep time, and some caffeine, not much because it affects my sinuses badly.

Best of luck and live well.

[Gl448]

interesting. The rash is almost entirely on the top of my head, the sides where the hair grows thicker (Friar Tuck) aren’t affected (yet).

I’m wondering if the rash is an indicator of where I’d lose hair if it comes to that, or at least where first.

I shave my head anyways, so don’t care about scalp hair loss, but the physiology of what gets affected in what way and what sequence is interesting.

[Gl448]

Update on this:

Have had rash symptoms throughout chemo 1-3 rounds.

After #2 it spread to the back of my neck, my upper back, and a couple of nasty scarring stripes on my infusion arm.

After #3 rash spread to my cheeks (barely noticeable), and my forearms. Head rash subsided.

Discussed the rash with my oncologist prior to chemo #4, and she said it might be from the Nubeqa.

I still think it’s from the chemo, or a reaction of chemo and NUBEQA considering the timing. Rash gets worse shortly after infusion and starts to fade before the next round.

6 days after #4 rash in most places barely noticeable, except one of the scarring rashes on infusion arm has started itching again and spreading up the arm more.

Might be one of the pre-chemo drugs injected into IV, but most of them I’ve taken for years as oral OTC.

Guess we won’t know until chemo has completely cleared my system in May.

2.5% hydrocortisone cream helps a bit, I’m not sure Claritin does much for it in terms of relieving the rash. Helps a little with itching.

Rash that looks to leave a scar. Started as a row of bumps after second chemo.