A Case Report-Stevens-Johnson Syndrome as an Adverse Effect of Capecitabine

Capecitabine induced Steven-Johnson syndrome: A rare case report

INTRODUCTION

Steven-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a serious mucocutaneous reaction, characterized by fever, influenza-like symptoms and followed by dermatological manifestations. Capecitabine is an oral fluoropyrimidine carbamate analogue of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU). It is widely accepted for many malignancies because of its better safety profile and tolerability. Hand-foot syndrome is the common dermatological toxicity associated with Capecitabine and SJS is the rarest manifestation.Case presentation: We report a case of Capecitabine induced SJS in a 70 years old male patient with metastatic carcinoma pancreas. He was treated with intravenous Gemcitabine and Carboplatin initially and then switched to oral therapy with Capecitabine 1000 mg twice daily. After ten days of treatment with Capecitabine, he developed vomiting, mucositis, hyperpigmentation, itching and scrotal mucosal peeling. The clinical status of the patient was suggestive of SJS, which was confirmed by dermatologic consultation. According to Naranjo, WHO-UMC, and Hartwig's scale, the reaction was found to be probable and severe. Pharmacological as well as supportive care measures were provided, but the condition progressively worsened, and the patient was deceased.

CONCLUSION

Capecitabine can cause severe hypersensitivity reactions which can be dangerous and life-threatening. Health care providers must be aware of all rare adverse effects, including SJS. Clinicians and clinical pharmacists should educate and counsel the patients regarding the likely adverse effects of their chemo drugs because the early identification of toxic symptoms is crucial to reduce further complications to the patient.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome and concurrent hand foot syndrome during treatment with capecitabine: A case report

BACKGROUND

Capecitabine is used in combination with lapatinib as palliative treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 - positive metastatic breast cancer. The most frequently reported adverse events attributed to capecitabine include diarrhea, hyperbilirubinemia, and hand-foot syndrome (HFS). A number of cutaneous adverse events have been attributed to capecitabine, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) as a rare and potentially life-threatening mucocutaneous condition. We report the first case involving concurrent SJS and HFS after capecitabine and lapatinib treatment.

CASE SUMMARY

A 70-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer treatment visited our hospital for evaluation of painful skin lesions. Six weeks earlier, she had been prescribed capecitabine plus lapatinib as treatment for metastatic breast cancer. She subsequently developed worsening erythema and bullae on her palms and soles, as well as reddish macules on her back and chest wall. Histopathological evaluation of the chest wall lesions revealed extensive eosinophilic epidermal necrosis and separation of the epidermis from the dermis. The capecitabine plus lapatinib treatment was discontinued immediately and treatment was started using systemic steroids. This treatment resolved most lesions, although the lesions on her palms and soles required Vaseline gauze dressings, which resulted in re-epithelialization. Therefore, we determined that the patient had concurrent SJS and HFS. Although the dermatological problems resolved, the patient ultimately died because of multiple organ failure.

CONCLUSION

Oral capecitabine treatment carries a risk of both HFS and also life-threatening adverse cutaneous drug reactions, such as SJS.

Phenytoin Induced Stevens Johnson Syndrome- Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Overlap Exacerbated by Cephalexin in a 65-Year-Old Neurosurgical Patient: A Rare Case Report

OBJECTIVE

To report a rare case of drug induced overlap of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrosis Syndrome exacerbated by cephalexin.

CASE SUMMARY

In this case report we present a 65-year-old female who had come to the hospital with complaints of Sloughing of the skin and redness all over the body with raised body temperature. She was on therapeutic Phenytoin to prevent the post-surgical complications of Communicating Hydrocephalus. After a detailed examination it was found that the patient had misemployed with an overdose of Phenytoin. The patient was found with nikolsky sign and diagnosed as Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrosis overlap. This case report emphasizes phenytoin induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrosis syndrome exacerbated by cephalexin.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

By witnessing this phenomenon, we could figure out the association between cephalexin and Stevens-Johnson syndrome- Toxic Epidermal Necrosis syndrome overlap. The Immediate dismissal of the offending agent and commencement of supportive care was found to be effective.