Reactions 1358 - 2 Jul 2011

SAntineoplastics

Acute myeloid leukaemia: case reportA woman with lung cancer developed acute myeloid

leukaemia (AML) during long-term chemotherapy withcisplatin, gefitinib, vinorelbine, carboplatin, paclitaxel,gemcitabine, irinotecan and docetaxel [routes not stated;time to reaction onset not clearly stated].

The 64-year-old woman was admitted with a 2-weekhistory of fatigue and low-grade fever. She had beendiagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma in 2004 andreceived the following drugs over the next few years:cisplatin (total dose 324 mg/body), gefitinib, (3250 mg/body), vinorelbine (102 mg/body), gemcitabine(18 970 mg/body), paclitaxel (920 mg/body), carboplatin(2400 mg/body) and docetaxel (556 mg/body). Brainmetastasis was detected in 2008, for which she receivedradiotherapy. The seventh course of docetaxel wasadministered in January 2009. Grade 4 neutropenia wasdiagnosed on day 8 so she received a 2-day course ofgranulocyte colony-stimulating factor. However, noimprovement was observed by day 10. Her neutropenia,fever and fatigue persisted, prompting admission forfurther investigation and treatment. Initial tests revealedanaemia, thrombocytopenia and a WBC count of 5900/µL.She had ALP and LDH levels of 334 U/L and 151 U/L,respectively. A bone marrow biopsy confirmed AML.

On day 7 the woman received antibacterials forpneumonitis. Her condition improved temporarily, but sheremained on continuous oxygen supplementation. Herclinical condition gradually worsened and she died due toprogression of her primary disease.Shimizu K, et al. Therapy-related leukemia as a result of long-term chemotherapyfor non-small cell lung cancer. Haigan 50: 916-920, No. 7, Dec 2010. Availablefrom: URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.2482/haigan.50.916 [Japanese; summarised from atranslation] - Japan 803056229

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Reactions 2 Jul 2011 No. 13580114-9954/10/1358-0001/$14.95 © 2010 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved