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Nail problems from chemo?

Page last modified on: September 10, 2008
Question from Wild Heart: I had to be taken off Taxotere, as the side effects were terrible. I'm now on Xeloda, and my nails are green, back, and blue, and loose. Can you help me with this?
Answers —Julie Gralow, M.D.: Some chemotherapy agents can cause terrible nail problems. Often, the best recommendation is to keep nails filed down very short. If there's any hint that there might be an infection going on, sometimes the solution is reducing the dose of chemotherapy, or holding off for a while. We have a dermatologist at our institution who helps us deal with this problem, and some of the things he recommends include keeping the nails filed down, keeping them clean, and avoiding infection.
Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: It's important to be careful when caring for your nails. Sometimes over-manipulation of the nail bed with home tools can make things worse. It may be a good idea to ask your doctor or nurse to show you exactly how to trim and file your nails.

On Wednesday, January 15, 2003, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Managing Treatment Side Effects. Julie Gralow, M.D. and Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about many of the short-term and long-term side effects of breast cancer treatment, and ways of minimizing them, so you can get on with your life and enjoy your day-to-day activities.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Julie Gralow, M.D.Julie Gralow, M.D. is associate professor of medical oncology specializing in breast cancer at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and director of breast medical oncology at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.

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