Severe Systemic Rash in the Treatment of Hairy Cell Leukemia with Cladribine: Case Report and Literature Review

• Main Authors: Dong H, Shen Y, Wu D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2020-11-01
• Series: International Journal of General Medicine
• Subjects: hairy cell leukemia; cladribine; system rash; side effect;
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/severe-systemic-rash-in-the-treatment-of-hairy-cell-leukemia-with-clad-peer-reviewed-article-IJGM

Huijie Dong,1,* Yingying Shen,1,2,* Yiping Shen,1,2 Dijiong Wu1,2 1First Clinical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Dijiong WuDepartment of Hematology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 54 Youdian Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail [e-mail]: A 49-year-old male patient who had been diagnosed with variable hairy cell leukemia (HCL-V) was treated with interferon for half a year but exert no obvious effect. After two courses of chemotherapy with cladribine, he achieved remission, and splenomegaly significantly improved (the length in craniocaudal dimension decreased from 15.8cm to 11.8cm). Four years later, the patient got disease relapse and was recommended for another cycle of cladribine (6mg for 7 days). On the last day of cladribine, the patient developed fever with needle-like red rashes on the face, limbs, and trunk. At the very beginning, the rash was lighter in color, sparsely distributed, and without obvious itching. Three days later, the rash gradually darkened, expanded and merged, with itching. With the application of high dose gamma globulin and corticosteroids (prednisolone combined with dexamethasone), the rash finally faded, and the patient was discharged. Rash caused by cladribine is not uncommon, such serious and widespread drug-induced rash is rare, and there are few reports. This article reviewed relevant studies and treatments.Keywords: hairy cell leukemia, cladribine, system rash, side effect