Scleroderma renal crisis in a patient with paraneoplastic systemic sclerosis

Abstract

The incidence of malignancy is increased in systemic sclerosis (SS). Nevertheless, only a few cases of paraneoplastic SS (pSS) have been described. Scleroderma renal crisis is an uncommon but severe complication of SS, with acute kidney failure, abrupt onset of hypertension and microangiopathy. We present the case of a previously healthy patient who was diagnosed with ovarian carcinoma and underwent chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel. In association with the cancer, she developed SS and scleroderma renal crisis. She received initial supportive treatment, but her renal function worsened, and she started on hemodialysis. Furthermore, she received adjuvant surgical treatment for the cancer. Eighty-four days after cytoreductive surgery, her renal function recovered, and her SS manifestations improved.