“My eyelashes suddenly grew 2.5cm”… What are the side effects after chemotherapy?

A case was reported of a man whose eyelashes grew thicker and longer by more than 2.5 cm after receiving chemotherapy. The Spanish man had colon cancer and was receiving chemotherapy, and the medical staff said the symptom was trichomegaly caused by a drug called panitumumab.

The man visited a dermatologist because he had severe acne rashes on his chest and back. However, while examining the man, the medical staff discovered that his eyelashes had grown abnormally long and diagnosed him with drug-induced long eyelashes, in addition to a severe acne-like rash. This man was receiving radiation therapy and chemotherapy for stage 4 sigmoid adenocarcinoma.

The medical staff said, “Long eyelashes generally appear within the first few months of treatment and resolve when treatment is discontinued,” adding, “It is necessary to prevent the risk of eyelashes growing in the wrong direction and causing ocular complications such as corneal damage or corneal ulcers.” “I recommend cutting and grooming your eyelashes,” he explained.

The medical staff prescribed antibiotics, topical corticosteroids, and antifungal medications for the patient, and provided instructions for safely trimming the eyelashes. The case was published in JAMA Dermatology, published by the American Medical Association.

Drug-induced long eyelashes… Symptoms appear within a few months of treatment and disappear when treatment is discontinued.

Long eyelash disease is a condition in which the characteristics of eyelashes, such as length, color, thickness, and curl, change. It can be caused by a variety of causes, including diseases such as HIV, genetic and acquired factors, and drugs. It is generally harmless, but if eyelashes grow toward the eye, it can cause corneal damage or, in severe cases, ulcers.

In the case of the man, it was reported that panitumumab, one of the drugs used for chemotherapy, caused the symptoms. Panitumumab is a human monoclonal antibody targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and is used for anticancer treatment. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, long eyelashes caused by epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors are the result of enhanced hair terminal differentiation and usually appear 2 to 5 months after treatment.

The main treatment is to frequently trim the eyelashes when symptoms occur, and to prescribe antibiotics or artificial tears when irritation or inflammation occurs.

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