Necrotizing Fasciitis In A Patient with Metastatic Clear Cell Ovarian Carcinoma Treated with Bevacizumab.

BACKGROUND Necrotizing fasciitis is a life-threatening infection of the deep soft tissues that leads to progressive destruction of the fascia and subcutaneous fat. It typically spreads along the muscle fascia planes because of the relatively poor blood supply. Muscle tissue is usually spared because of its better blood supply. The usual risk factors for necrotizing fasciitis include trauma, malnutrition, obesity, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, cirrhosis, neutropenia, and recent surgery. CASE REPORT We present a case of a middle-aged female who presented with necrotizing fasciitis of the right gluteal region. Her medical history was significant for well-controlled diabetes mellitus (hemoglobin A1c: 6.6), and clear cell carcinoma of ovaries (stage IV). She was on active chemotherapy with bevacizumab, paclitaxel, and carboplatin. She underwent incision and debridement of right gluteal abscess with drainage of 200 ml of foul-smelling pus and was started on intravenous antibiotics. Her blood cultures were negative, but the cultures taken from the right gluteal abscess showed moderate growth of Escherichia coli. The antibiotics were de-escalated and the patient was discharged with outpatient follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Bevacizumab, a humanized monoclonal IgG antibody, is a novel treatment for metastatic ovarian cancer. It is associated with necrotizing fasciitis due to anti-angiogenic, pro-thrombotic, and poor wound healing properties. It should be stopped in the patients presenting with necrotizing fasciitis.