Nail disorders in a woman treated with ixabepilone for metastatic breast cancer

Ixabepilone (Ix) (BMS-247550 (R)) is a potent member of a new class of microtubule-stabilizing cytotoxic agents known as epothilones. In pre-clinical studies, Ix has shown anticancer activity against several cancer types, including paclitaxel-resistant models, both in vitro and in vivo. The major toxicities associated with Ix are myelosuppression, sensory neuropathy and neutropenia. Other minor side-effects include asthenia/fatigue, stomatitis, anorexia, alopecia, skin reaction, hypersensitivity reactions and a fluid-retention syndrome. Although Ix is functionally correlated to taxanes, no previous evidence exists regarding Ix-related nail disorders. Here, we report a case of a 59 year-old woman treated with Ix at 40 mg/m(2) day 1 q 21 days who, after 8 cycles of therapy, developed onycholysis and subungual hemorrhagic bullas in the fingernails.