Evidence Explorer / MS-N205 / Supportive physical care / Appraised November 1, 2026
A small self-controlled study of frozen gloves during docetaxel was undermined by poor tolerability: 60% withdrew because of discomfort, and only 21 participants were evaluable. The remaining comparisons did not show significant protection.
Evidence at a glance
- Population: 53 enrolled during docetaxel treatment; 21 evaluable.
- Intervention: frozen glove 15 minutes before, during and 15 minutes after infusion; the other hand served as control.
- Tolerability: 60% withdrew because of discomfort.
- Finding: no significant difference in time to nail or skin toxicity.
- Evidence label: negative, severely attrition-limited evidence.
What was studied
Among evaluable participants, nail discoloration occurred in 81% of control hands and 67% of cooled hands; nail loss occurred in 19% on each side; ridging occurred in 57% on each side. Erythroderma was reported in 5% on each side.
The within-person design controls for many patient factors, but the high dropout rate means the analyzed group was a small, selected subset able to tolerate the intervention.
What this evidence cannot establish
This trial does not support a reliable protective effect for the tested glove schedule. It also cannot answer whether a warmer, controlled device or a different docetaxel regimen would perform differently.
Nail appearance is a toxicity/supportive-care outcome; it does not indicate chemotherapy efficacy.
Practical safety context
Cold pain and intolerance were the central practical safety problem. Frost injury is a theoretical risk when very cold gloves are poorly monitored.
People with Raynaud disease, vascular disease, reduced sensation, skin breaks or prior cold injury need particular caution and should not self-improvise extreme cooling.
Questions for the care team
- Is there evidence for the exact glove temperature and schedule your center uses?
- What signs mean the glove should be removed immediately?
- What other nail-care strategies are reasonable if cooling is intolerable?
Sources
- PubMed: frozen-glove docetaxel trial — PMID 24362908
- Journal article — DOI 10.1007/s00520-013-2095-x
- ClinicalTrials.gov record — NCT00911352
Source note: The PubMed abstract and registry record were checked; this is an abstract-level appraisal. Funding and conflict information is reported only where it was available in the checked source. No correction, retraction or expression of concern was identified in the PubMed-linked record on November 1, 2026.
This record is educational. It is not a personal treatment recommendation and does not replace advice from the oncology or radiation-care team. Symptom or toxicity outcomes do not demonstrate tumor response, recurrence prevention or longer survival.
