Bortezomib-induced rhabdomyolysis in multiple myeloma

Although multiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable disease, its treatment has improved over the past decade. This improvement has been at least in part due to the introduction of novel antimyeloma agents with new mechanisms of action, including those that target both myeloma cells and the tumor microenvironment, with antiangiogenic and immunomodulatory properties. Among these drugs, bortezomib (Velcade), a selective proteasome inhibitor, has been approved for the treatment of relapsed and refractory MM patients after one line of therapy. The toxicity profile of bortezomib includes gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, thrombocytopenia, peripheral neuropathy, postural hypotension, as well as some uncommon events. A patient with relapsed MM who developed recurrent bortezomib-induced rhabdomyolysis is reported. To our knowledge, this adverse event has not been previously described is this context.