U.S. Medical Advisory Board

Dr. Lacouture is a board-certified dermatologist with special interest in dermatologic conditions that result from cancer treatments. His clinical career has been focused on the recognition and management of side effects affecting the skin, hair and nails of cancer patients and survivors, which can occur as a consequence of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and therapeutic transplants.

To ensure that dermatologic side effects do not affect quality of life and the consistent administration of anticancer therapies, Dr. Lacouture has founded the SERIES (Skin and Eye Reactions to Inhibitors of EGFR and kinases) Clinic, an interdisciplinary effort comprising patient care, education and research. This unique clinical program provides pretreatment counseling and preventive efforts to minimize the development of side effects as well as rapid attention to those patients who develop them. Close communication with treating oncologists ensures that interventions against side effects do not affect the effectiveness of cancer treatments to ensure the best dermatology-related quality of life and benefit from anticancer treatments.

Dr. Lacouture’s research focuses on major components of dermatologic side effects: the accurate description and severity grading; the effects on quality of life; the identification of factors that place individuals at higher risk; and the development of treatments. A basic tenet of this research is in exploring new skin treatments that do not affect the effectiveness of anticancer drugs. For example, topical medicines in the face or regional cooling of hands or feet are used to prevent or treat drug-induced side effects in these areas. Currently, dermatologic effects of cancer therapies in long-term cancer survivors are being investigated, the first step towards ensuring long-term skin health after cancer therapies.

In addition to his role in the treatment of dermatologic conditions in cancer patients and survivors, he is co-chair of the Skin Toxicity Study Group of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, an international organization devoted to the understanding of side effects in cancer patients.