The Effect of Captopril Added to Standard Chemotherapy Regimen Containing Capecitabine in the Prevention of Hand and Foot Syndrome in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of captopril added to standard chemotherapy regimen containing capecitabine in the prevention of hand and foot syndrome in patients with colorectal cancer.

n a clinical trial study, 66 patients with colorectal cancer under chemotherapy with capecitabine-containing regimens were distributed in two groups of 33. The first group received 50 mg of captopril daily and the control group, placebo with a similar dose from one week before commencement of chemotherapy to the end of third course of treatment. Patients in two groups were evaluated for the onset of hand and foot syndrome three and six weeks after starting chemotherapy, and four weeks after the end of third course of chemotherapy.

At the end of our study, 2 patients (6.1%) in the intervention group and 8 patients (24.2%) in the control group suffered from hand and foot syndrome (P = 0.039). Six weeks after the start of treatment, the prevalence of hand and foot syndrome in intervention and control groups was 3 (9.1%) and 5 (15.2%) (P = 0.45), and 2 (6.1%) and 8 (24.2%) cases four weeks after the completion of the three courses of chemotherapy, respectively (P = 0.039).

 Administration of captopril in patients undergoing chemotherapy with capecitabine-containing regimen reduced symptoms of hand and foot syndrome four weeks after the completion of the three courses of chemotherapy. According to the similarity of the pathogenesis of hand and foot syndrome with other vascular disorders, administration of captopril seems to reduce the symptoms of hand and foot syndrome.