A Case of a Suspected Photosensitive Reaction Induced by Weekly Paclitaxel as Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

We report a suspected photosensitive reaction induced by weekly paclitaxel (PTX) in a patient with breast cancer. The patient was a 72-year-old woman with right breast cancer (T2N1M0, Stage II B). She received 80 mg/m² PTX weekly as neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After the 5 courses of weekly PTX, she began to develop skin lesions with itchy sensations on the areas of her body that had been exposed to sunlight. The symptoms persisted after the 6 courses of weekly PTX, and topical steroid and antihistamine treatments were initiated. The skin lesions resolved once the patient avoided sunlight and used sunscreen. Ultimately, she received 12 courses of PTX. We need to recognize the appearance of a photosensitive reaction following weekly PTX for breast cancer.