Severe phototoxic reaction secondary to subcutaneous 5-azacitidine.

Phototoxicity occurs when the effects of sunlight and certain drugs converge at the skin level. Various pharmacologic agents have been linked to photosensitivity, including agents used in hematology and oncology. We describe herein a severe phototoxic response to subcutaneous 5-azacitidine. There are no previous reports of phototoxicity reactions to this agent in the published literature. As 5-azacitidine is frequently used to treat patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloblastic leukemia, familiarity with this side effect is important for the medical and scientific community at large.