Get enough rest. Ask about medicine antihistamines if itching keeps you awake. Ask your cancer care team for tips that might help reduce or prevent itching. If your itching is severe, your doctor may order prescription drugs to help relieve the itching. To reduce the desire to scratch Apply cool, wet packs such as crushed ice in a plastic bag wrapped in a damp towel to the skin.
Remove the pack when it becomes warm, and let your skin dry. Use again as needed. Keep nails clean and short. Any cancer that interferes with the bile ducts can lead to obstruction and the consequent build-up of bile salts in the skin.
With pancreatic cancer specifically, this is most common with cancers located in the head of the pancreas. Other symptoms may include jaundice, abdominal pain, ascites the build-up of fluid in the abdomen , and abdominal pain. Metastatic cancer to the skin skin metastases may present with itching.
In women, breast cancer is the most common source of skin metastases; in men, lung cancer is most common. Other cancers may also spread to the skin, such as colon cancer and more.
Liver metastases may also lead to itching, similar to the itching associated with primary liver cancers. The most common cancers to spread to the liver include lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and melanoma. There are many cancer treatments that can lead to itching. The most common include some targeted therapies and some immunotherapy drugs , especially interferon and interleukin Many medications can also cause allergic reactions or inflammation of the liver, which in turn, can lead to itching.
Radiation therapy commonly causes itching, especially later on in treatment when the skin begins to heal. Unexplained itching should be evaluated by your healthcare provider.
The first step in diagnosis includes a careful history and physical examination looking for any obvious causes of itching. Laboratory work may include a complete blood count and liver function tests.
If leukemia, lymphoma, or a myeloproliferative disorder is suspected, a bone marrow test is often needed to either confirm or rule out a problem. Imaging tests may be needed as well. If an abdominal cancer is a possibility, an abdominal CT scan as well as other imaging tests may be needed. Even if the evaluation is negative, careful follow-up is necessary if a cause is not found.
As noted earlier, itching may occur weeks to months before other symptoms with lung cancer, and itching may appear years before the diagnosis of a T cell lymphoma is made. If an obvious underlying medical cause is not determined either benign or cancerous , keeping a symptom diary is sometimes helpful, as well as letting your healthcare provider know if any new symptoms arise. Managing itching with cancer is very important in improving quality of life, especially when itching is severe such as with liver metastases or T cell lymphomas.
Often times, treatment of the underlying cancer reduces itching. However, this isn't always possible, for example, with advanced cancers. It can take some time to resolve the itching. Simple measures for managing itchy skin due to cancer treatment can include:. Avoiding scratching, is of course, important, but often easier said than done.
To relieve the itch you may try patting the area, massage, gentle pressure, or vibration as alternatives to scratching. Cold compresses are helpful for some people. A number of different medications have been used to help relieve itching.
Before using any over-the-counter OTC preparations, however, make sure to talk to your healthcare provider or oncologist.
Some medications can interfere with cancer treatments. For example, Benadryl diphenhydramine counteracts the effects of the breast cancer drug tamoxifen. Options include:. Bugs that can cause long-lasting itch, include bed bugs, lice, and mites scabies. How to get relief: You can find out what these bug bites look like and how to get rid of the itch at: Bed bugs Head lice Scabies.
Itchy skin condition. The list of skin conditions that can cause intense itch is long and includes: Atopic dermatitis Chickenpox Dyshidrotic eczema Folliculitis Hand-foot-and-mouth disease Hives Psoriasis Neurodermatitis Ringworm Seborrheic dermatitis Shingles How to get relief: To get relief, you must know which skin condition you have. The best way to get an accurate diagnosis is to see a board-certified dermatologist.
If you have been diagnosed with atopic dermatitis or psoriasis, relieving the itch can be a challenge. Skin cancer.
For many people, the only sign of skin cancer is a new or changing spot on their skin. Sometimes, that spot also itches and can be the only reason a person notices the spot. How to get relief: See a board-certified dermatologist to find out if you have skin cancer.
If you have skin cancer, treating it can get rid of the itch. Warning sign of a disease inside your body. It can also be a sign of advanced kidney disease and often develops in people who are close to needing dialysis or currently receiving dialysis. In these people, the itch can be widespread and especially intense on the back, arms, and legs.
Itch is also common in people who have liver disease, such as hepatitis C, cirrhosis, or an obstructed bile duct. When itch is a sign of liver disease, the itch often starts on the palms and soles and spreads to other parts of the body. How to get relief: Getting an accurate diagnosis and treatment may relieve the itch. A dermatologist often plays a key role in diagnosing these diseases because itch can be the only symptom.
Allergic skin reaction. The next section in this guide is Diagnosis. It explains what tests may be needed to learn more about the cause of the symptoms. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.
For basal cell carcinoma , 2 or more of the following features may be present: An open sore that bleeds, oozes, or crusts and remains open for several weeks A reddish, raised patch or irritated area that may crust or itch, but rarely hurts A shiny pink, red, pearly white, or translucent bump A pink growth with an elevated border and crusted central indentation A scar-like, white, yellow, or waxy area, often with a poorly defined border See pictures of these features of basal cell carcinoma.
Squamous cell carcinoma can often crust, bleed, and appear as: A wart-like growth A persistent, scaly red patch with irregular borders that may bleed easily An open sore that persists for weeks A raised growth with a rough surface and a central depression See pictures of these signs of squamous cell carcinoma. Merkel cell cancer often occurs as: Painless, firm, shiny lumps on the skin These lumps can be red, pink, or blue Some types of skin cancer spread along the nerves. Types of Cancer.
Skin Cancer Non-Melanoma Guide. Medical Illustrations. Risk Factors and Prevention.
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