In observance of World Cancer Day and in honor of Black History Month, La Roche-Posay, the dermatological skincare company and part of the L’Oréal Groupe, whose products are recommended by 100,000 dermatologists worldwide, announced a transformative partnership with the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS).
Through a dedicated grant, La Roche-Posay will help fund the creation of the Skin of Color Skin Toxicity Photo Repository, the first digital database of its kind, specifically designed for oncology nurses to identify and manage dermatological toxicities across all skin tones.
While other clinical databases exist for general dermatology, this repository is the first dedicated exclusively to the oncology nursing frontline. It focuses specifically on how cancer treatment-related side effects, such as radiation dermatitis, targeted therapy rashes, and hand-foot syndrome, manifest on diverse skin tones.
Disparity
The initiative addresses a critical and potentially life-threatening disparity in cancer care. While approximately 80% of oncology patients experience skin-related side effects from treatment.
While some adverse skin toxicity is associated with treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRI), other cutaneous adverse events may be caused by other treatment modalities. Overall, these adverse events may include radiation dermatitis, acneiform rash, other targeted therapy–associated rashes, pruritus (a persistent itchy skin often stemming from dry skin or xerosis), paronychia (a painful skin infection occurring around the fingernails or toenails) or and hand-foot syndrome (HFS), or palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, a common chemotherapy side effect causing redness, swelling, numbness, and pain on the palms and soles, often feeling like a severe sunburn. Each of these adverse effects may cause discomfort in patients and affect their health-related Quality of Life (hrQoL). [1][2]
However, only an estimated 4.5% of available medical educational materials feature diverse skin tones. This staggering gap exists despite the fact that over 40% of the United States population identifies as people of color or non-white.
A critical unmet need
For the Black community and other communities of color, this gap in medical imagery is more than a matter of representation; it is a matter of patient safety. Oncology nurses are the primary frontline of patient care, yet they often lack the visual tools required for early detection and management of toxicities in patients with darker skin.
“At La Roche-Posay, we believe that skin health should be equitable for everyone. It is our mission to support and improve the quality of life for all cancer patients. By partnering with the Oncology Nursing Society to build this repository, we are providing a functional, clinical solution tailored to the nursing workflow to ensure nurses have the resources to provide proper care for all patients with all skin types and tones,” explained Rachelle Mladjenovic, General Manager, La Roche-Posay, USA.
“When we looked at the data, it was a clear call to action for the brand. Only a small fraction of medical materials had shown what these side effects look like on darker skin tones, and now with the integration of the Skin of Color Skin Toxicity Photo Repository within the ONS platform, we are proud to provide the best level of care for all cancer patients across all skin tones,” Mladjenovic added.
Comprehensive tool
The skin of color skin toxicity photo repository is expected to serve as a comprehensive, evidence-based educational resource integrated into ONS platforms. This grant allows ONS to build the actual database that nurses will use to provide more equitable care, ensuring that skin toxicities are correctly identified and treated regardless of the patient’s skin tone.
“The Oncology Nursing Society is committed to excellence in oncology nursing and the transformation of cancer care,” said Jessica Macintyre, Board of Directors President, ONS.
“This partnership with La Roche-Posay enables ONS to address a significant educational gap by equipping clinicians with the largest, first-of-its-kind library focused on treatment-released skin toxicities, including those affecting skin of color,” she added.
“Strengthening early identification and intervention through this resource is essential to improving patient outcomes and ensuring every person impacted by cancer receives the highest standard of care. This announcement, strategically timed between World Cancer Day and Black History Month, underscores La Roche-Posay’s commitment to authentic, purpose-driven action by leaning into its core scientific mission to improve skin health equity for all,” Macintyre concluded.
Reference
[1] Chan JC, Lee YH, Liu CY, Shih HH, Tsay PK, Tang WR. A Correlational Study of Skin Toxicity and Quality of Life in Patients With Advanced Lung Cancer Receiving Targeted Therapy. J Nurs Res. 2019 Dec;27(6):e51. doi: 10.1097/jnr.0000000000000339. PMID: 31397829.
[2] Clabbers JMK, Boers-Doets CB, Gelderblom H, Stijnen T, Lacouture ME, van der Hoeven KJM, Kaptein AA. Xerosis and pruritus as major EGFRI-associated adverse events. Support Care Cancer. 2016 Feb;24(2):513-521. doi: 10.1007/s00520-015-2781-y. Epub 2015 Jun 27. PMID: 26111953; PMCID: PMC4689742.
Featured image: Beauty/Fashion. Photo courtesy: © 2025 – 2-26 Eze Joseph. Licensed under the Unsplash License. Used with permission.
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