[Raltitrexed-induced skin reaction].

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Raltitrexed (Tomudex(R)) is a thymine synthetase inhibitor used for first line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Skin reactions were reported in the preclinical trials but have never been documented in clinical practice. We report the first two cases.

CASE REPORTS:

Two patients, aged 75 and 65 years, were given raltitrexed for adenocarcinoma of the rectum for the first case and of the sigmoid for the second. Both developed a skin reaction 5 and 7 days after onset of treatment. These patients had erythromatous edematous and purpuric skin reactions associated with asthenia, diarrhea and moderate fever. The skin lesions were painful and pseudo-cellulitic. They were generalized in the first case and localized on the legs in the second. The reactions subsided in both cases 15 days after drug withdrawal after a desquamation phase.

CONCLUSION:

We report the first two cases of raltitrexed-induced pseudo-cellulitic skin reactions.

• Authors: D Topard, I Hellier, M Ychou, B Guillot
• Journal: Annales de dermatologie et de venereologie (Ann Dermatol Venereol) Vol. 127 Issue 12 Pg. 1080-2 (Dec 2000) ISSN: 0151-9638 [Print] France
• Vernacular Title: Toxidermie au raltitrexed: 2 cas.
• PMID: 11173684 (Publication Type: Case Reports, English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
• Quinazolines
• Thiophenes
• raltitrexed

Topics

• Aged
• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic (adverse effects)
• Drug Eruptions (etiology)
• Humans
• Male
• Quinazolines (adverse effects)
• Thiophenes (adverse effects)