title: Taxanes-induced cutaneous eruption: another histopathologic mimicker of malignancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paclitaxel and docetaxel are antineoplastic drugs that bind the microtubules, producing the arrest of mitoses, which may be seen histopathologically. These histopathologic changes may simulate an intraepidermal keratinocytic malignant neoplasm, and an accurate diagnosis may be only established by clinicopathological correlation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We report six cases of cutaneous eruptions by taxanes in which a striking cytotoxic effect was evident histopathologically.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cutaneous biopsies were obtained in each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atypical starburst-like or ring-like mitoses and dyskeratosis on basal and suprabasal layers of the epidermis. Areas of squamous syringometaplasia were also seen in one case.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings were interpreted as expression of mitotic arrest due to taxanes. Similar changes have been described in association with other chemotherapeutic drugs such as vincristine, podophyllin and its derivative etoposide; colchicine, busulfan and maytansine, but cases like ours due to taxanes are exceptional or under-reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dermatopathologists should be aware of these effects in order to interpret carefully cutaneous biopsy specimens of patients receiving taxanes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Prieto-Torres
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Llamas-Velasco
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Machan
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haro
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital Universitario Doctor Peset, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Asis
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Instituto Português de Oncología de Lisboa Francisco Gentil, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carmo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, CMN 20 de Noviembre-ISSSTE, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loredo
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: del Puerto
authors.affiliation: Dermatopathology Research Unit, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fried
authors.affiliation: Kempf und Pfaltz Histologische Diagnostik, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kempf
authors.affiliation: Dermatopathology Research Unit, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cerroni
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Requena
mesh_terms: D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005076:Exanthema / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D043823:Taxoids / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds; D043823:Taxoids; C080625:taxane