Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Induced by Paclitaxel in a Patient with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung: A Case Report

Abstract

We treated a 53-year-old man with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the lung who had developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a life-threatening cutaneous reaction, after systemic chemotherapy consisting of carboplatin and paclitaxel. A critical assessment disclosed circumstantial evidence pointing to paclitaxel as the likely cause of this complication. As far as we are aware, this account is the first description of a paclitaxel-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome. This case serves as an alert for the need to observe patients closely for potentially dangerous cutaneous reactions to paclitaxel therapy.