Palmar plantar erythrodysesthesia natural history, complications, and prognosis

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.

Prognosis
PPE variably recurs with resumption of chemotherapy. Long-term chemotherapy may also result in reversible palmoplantar keratoderma. Symptoms resolve 1-2 weeks after cessation of chemotherapy (Apisarnthanarax and Duvic 2003).