Nearly a third of patients with cancer treated with phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors have cutaneous adverse events of any grade, according to findings from a review of more than a dozen clinical trials.

In addition, the study shows the rate of severe cutaneous adverse events (grade 3 or higher) among those given phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors, including idelalisib and alpelisib, is an estimated 7%, US researchers say.

Although such events are frequently reported among treatment recipients, the authors add that the true incidence rate in clinical trials has not previously been investigated.

Writing in JAMA Oncology, the Harvard Medical School-led team in Boston conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 trials with some 4500 participants to determine the pooled incidence rate of cutaneous adverse events.