Cefadroxil-Induced Radiation Recall Dermatitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

TL;DR

A patient developed a rare skin reaction months after radiation therapy due to the antibiotic cefadroxil, which was successfully treated with a steroid cream.

Contribution

This is the first reported case of cefadroxil-induced radiation recall dermatitis.

Findings

Cefadroxil triggered radiation recall dermatitis months after radiation therapy completion.

Discontinuation of cefadroxil and treatment with clobetasol cream resolved the dermatitis.

The case highlights the importance of recognizing cefadroxil as a potential causative agent for RRD.

Abstract

Radiation recall dermatitis (RRD) is a rare phenomenon. There are a few reports in the literature reporting RRD triggered by quinolone administration after external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). We present an unusual case of RRD induced by cefadroxil, which occurred months after completion of EBRT. A patient underwent accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) to the right breast, which she finished without any side effects to the skin. She then underwent a left hip replacement and was placed on an antibiotic called cefadroxil 500 mg BID (twice a day), which correlated with a sudden redness in the right breast. The antibiotic was stopped, and her affected breast was treated with clobetasol cream 0.05%, and the patient’s RRD resolved. We review literature emphasizing cefadroxil antibiotic as a causative agent of RRD.

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