Palmar plantar erythrodysesthesia pathophysiology

Overview
Palmar plantar erythrodysesthesia (PPE) is a swelling and numbness of the hands and feet that occurs with chemotherapy, usually with fluorouracil, capecitabine, cytarabine, and doxorubicin.

Pathophysiology
The cause of PPE is unknown. Existing theories are based on the fact that only the hands and feet are involved and posit the role of temperature differences, vascular anatomy, differences in the types of cells (rapidly dividing epidermal cells and eccrine glands).