Antineoplastics
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Reactions 1377 - 12 Nov 2011 S Antineoplastics Pseudocirrhosis, leading to fatal liver failure: 5 case reports A retrospective study identified five women with metastatic breast cancer who developed liver pseudocirrhosis, which led to fatal liver failure, during or after chemotherapy [dosages, routes and durations of treatment to reaction onset not stated]. The women, aged between 33-53 years, had been diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma or mixed invasive ductal-lobular carcinoma. All had undergone surgical resection followed by adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After disease-free intervals of 3-48 months, they were diagnosed with metastatic relapse to the liver, bones and/or lungs. Hormonal medications, which included exemestane, fulvestrant, tamoxifen, anastrozole, letrozole and megestrol, were started. Three patients also received chemotherapy which consisted of paclitaxel, docetaxel, capecitabine, carboplatin, gemcitabine, vinorelbine, mitomycin and mitoxantrone. Partial and complete response to treatment in liver metastases were reported in 3 and 2 patients, respectively. Aside from a decrease in the subjacent lesions from liver metastases, subsequent scans also showed retraction of the liver capsule which mimicked cirrhosis, as well as signs of ascites and portal hypertension. Four out of five patients had elevated levels of ALP and GGTP. During development of pseudocirrhosis, the patients received gemcitabine and vinorelbine, bevacizumab and irinotecan, mitomycin, carboplatin and trastuzumab, or docetaxel. However, all patients deteriorated rapidly. Two and three patients developed jaundice and encephalopathy, respectively. One experienced massive, intractable upper GI haemorrhage. All developed symptoms of liver failure over a period of months. Median time to death was 43 days. Sonnenblick A, et al. Liver failure on the background of pseudocirrhosis in patients with liver metastasis from breast cancer, who responded to treatment. Onkologie 34: 199-201, No. 4, Apr 2011 - Israel 803062532 1 Reactions 12 Nov 2011 No. 1377 0114-9954/10/1377-0001/$14.95 © 2010 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved
Transcript of Antineoplastics
Reactions 1377 - 12 Nov 2011
SAntineoplastics
Pseudocirrhosis, leading to fatal liver failure:5 case reports
A retrospective study identified five women withmetastatic breast cancer who developed liverpseudocirrhosis, which led to fatal liver failure, during orafter chemotherapy [dosages, routes and durations oftreatment to reaction onset not stated].
The women, aged between 33-53 years, had beendiagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma or mixedinvasive ductal-lobular carcinoma. All had undergonesurgical resection followed by adjuvant or neoadjuvantchemotherapy. After disease-free intervals of 3-48 months,they were diagnosed with metastatic relapse to the liver,bones and/or lungs. Hormonal medications, whichincluded exemestane, fulvestrant, tamoxifen, anastrozole,letrozole and megestrol, were started. Three patients alsoreceived chemotherapy which consisted of paclitaxel,docetaxel, capecitabine, carboplatin, gemcitabine,vinorelbine, mitomycin and mitoxantrone. Partial andcomplete response to treatment in liver metastases werereported in 3 and 2 patients, respectively. Aside from adecrease in the subjacent lesions from liver metastases,subsequent scans also showed retraction of the livercapsule which mimicked cirrhosis, as well as signs ofascites and portal hypertension. Four out of five patientshad elevated levels of ALP and GGTP.
During development of pseudocirrhosis, the patientsreceived gemcitabine and vinorelbine, bevacizumab andirinotecan, mitomycin, carboplatin and trastuzumab, ordocetaxel. However, all patients deteriorated rapidly.Two and three patients developed jaundice andencephalopathy, respectively. One experienced massive,intractable upper GI haemorrhage.
All developed symptoms of liver failure over a period ofmonths. Median time to death was 43 days.Sonnenblick A, et al. Liver failure on the background of pseudocirrhosis in patientswith liver metastasis from breast cancer, who responded to treatment. Onkologie34: 199-201, No. 4, Apr 2011 - Israel 803062532
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Reactions 12 Nov 2011 No. 13770114-9954/10/1377-0001/$14.95 © 2010 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved
