J Rheum Dis.  2011 Jun;18(2):110-113.

A Case of Paclitaxel Induced Scleroderma in a Patient with Ovarian Cancer

• Kim HJ
• Seo YI
• Kwon YS
• Kim YM
• Park EJ
• Kim HA

Abstract

Paclitaxel takes effects as an anti-neoplastic agent by interfering with microtubules and then blocking cell growth. It has been used to treat patients with lung, ovarian, breast, head and neck cancer, and advanced forms of Kaposi's sarcoma. Along with its reputation as an effective chemotherapeutic drug, paclitaxel has numerous adverse effects. Among them, cutaneous adverse effects of paclitaxel include pruritis, bullous fixed eruption, onycholysis, and transient erythrodysesthesia. Only several cases of scleroderma-like lesions have been reported throughout the world, and in Korea, only one case of paclitaxel induced scleroderma has been reported in 2006. We report a case of paclitaxel induced scleroderma in an 83-year old woman with ovarian cancer. After administration of paclitaxel and cisplatin, the patient presented with edema in both brachial areas, Raynaud's phenomenon, and sclerotic skin lesions in both extremities.

Keyword

Paclitaxel; Ovarian cancer; Scleroderma

MeSH Terms

Breast
Cisplatin
Edema
Extremities
Female
Head and Neck Neoplasms
Humans
Korea
Lung
Microtubules
Onycholysis
Ovarian Neoplasms
Paclitaxel
Pruritus
Sarcoma, Kaposi
Skin
Cisplatin
Paclitaxel

Figure

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  Figure 1. Moderate skin sclerosis with edema and macule on the right hand.

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  Figure 2. Microscopic findings of skin biopsy sections on the right hand reveal (A) atropic adnexal structures and (B) full layer of dermal sclerosis with thickened collagen bundles in the whole dermis (hematoxylin-eosin stain ×20, ×200).

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