RATIONALE: Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and topical urea/lactic acid-based cream may prevent or lessen hand-foot syndrome caused by chemotherapy. It is not yet known whether giving pyridoxine with or without topical urea/lactic acid-based cream is more effective than topical urea/lactic acid-based cream alone or a placebo in preventing hand-foot syndrome.

PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying pyridoxine and topical urea/lactic acid-based cream to see how well they work compared with giving pyridoxine together with a placebo, giving topical urea/lactic acid-based cream together with a placebo, or giving two placebos in preventing hand-foot syndrome in patients who are receiving capecitabine for breast cancer or other cancer.

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine whether the prophylactic use of a topical urea/lactic acid cream can decrease the incidence/severity of capecitabine-caused palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia in patients receiving capecitabine for breast and/or other cancer.
• Evaluate the potential toxicity of this cream.
• Determine whether the prophylactic use of vitamin B6 can decrease the incidence and/or severity of capecitabine-caused palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia.
• Evaluate the potential toxicity of vitamin B6.
• Determine whether the prophylactic use of a topical urea/lactic acid cream in combination with vitamin B6 can decrease the incidence and/or severity of capecitabine caused palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients are stratified according to age (< 50 years old vs 50-60 years old vs > 60 years old), sex, capecitabine dose level (2000 mg/day vs 2500 mg/day), cancer type (breast vs other), and mode of therapy (adjuvant [including neo-adjuvant] therapy vs metastatic disease). Patients are randomized to 1 of 6 treatment arms (treatment arms I-IV closed to accrual as of 10/24/007).

• Arm I (closed to accrual as of 10/24/2007): Patients receive topical urea/lactic acid-based cream applied to palms and soles twice daily and oral pyridoxine once daily on days 1-21.
• Arm II (closed to accrual as of 10/24/2007): Patients receive topical urea/lactic acid-based cream as in arm I (closed to accrual as of 10/24/2007) and oral placebo once daily on days 1-21.
• Arm III (closed to accrual as of 10/24/2007): Patients receive placebo cream applied to palms and soles twice daily and pyridoxine as in arm I (closed to accrual as of 10/24/2007).
• Arm IV (closed to accrual as of 10/24/2007):Patients receive placebo cream as in arm III and oral placebo as in arm II (closed to accrual as of 10/24/2007).
• Arm V: Patients receive topical urea/lactic acid-based cream applied to palms and soles twice daily on days 1-21.
• Arm VI: Patients receive placebo cream applied to palms and soles twice daily on days 1-21.

In all arms, treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed breast and/or other cancer

• Undergoing first treatment with capecitabine as adjuvant (including neo-adjuvant) therapy OR for metastatic disease

  • Receiving a dose of capecitabine either 2,000 mg/day (1,000 mg twice daily) OR 2,500 mg/day for 14 days with 4 courses of therapy at 3 week (+/- 3 days) intervals

• Hormone-receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Male or female
• Menopausal status not specified
• No history of allergy to urea-containing cream
• No pre-existing neuropathy ≥ grade 2
• No other dermatologic condition, that, in the opinion of the physician, may affect the hands or feet or may complicate evaluation during study treatment

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• No other concurrent agents that function to prevent palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia caused by capecitabine or topical agents in the hands or feet for other indications (e.g., dryness)

• No concurrent vitamin B6 > 50 mg/day

• No concurrent or planned use of over-the-counter products that contain urea or lactic acid, including any of the following:

  • Aqua Care®
  • Medicated Calamine^® lotion (0.3%)
  • Coppertone^® Waterproof Ultra Protection Sunblock
  • Dr. Scholl's^® Smooth Touch deep moisturizing cream
  • Depicure^® So Smooth Cream
  • Dove^® Moisturizing Cream Wash
  • Cetaphil^ ®Moisturizing Cream
  • Vaseline Intensive Care ^ ® lotion