title: Scleroderma-like cutaneous lesions induced by paclitaxel: a case study.
abstract: Paclitaxel is a recent antineoplastic agent that belongs to the taxane family. Its activity has been demonstrated in advanced and refractory ovarian, breast, lung, and head and neck cancer. Adverse cutaneous reactions to paclitaxel have been reported, namely bullous fixed drug eruption, onycholysis, acral erythema, erythema multiforme, and pustular eruption. We report the first case of scleroderma-like changes after paclitaxel administration. A 63-year-old patient presented with an edematous and infiltrated erythema of the head, neck, axillae, and left hand 10 days after administration of paclitaxel and paraplatin for primitive peritoneal cancer. Cutaneous lesions improved after a change from paclitaxel to cyclophosphamide. Cutaneous lesions recurred 3 months later, after reintroduction of paclitaxel, and progressively evolved to cutaneous sclerosis. Skin biopsy showed a dermal fibrosis. Biologic tests revealed no autoimmunity. Scleroderma-like lesions of this patient were reminiscent of previously reported cases that occurred after administration of docetaxel, which also belongs to the taxan family. Thus, scleroderma-like syndromes seem to represent a unique cutaneous adverse event caused by taxanes.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, Rouen University-Hospital Charles Nicolle, 1 rue de Germont, 76031 Rouen Cedex, France.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kupfer
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Balguerie
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Courville
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chinet
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Joly
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology*; D004890:Erythema / Q000139:chemically induced; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D017239:Paclitaxel