[Acute mesenteric ischemia and rhinopharyngeal carcinoma]

This work is a part of a pharmacovigilancy survey.

To determine the links between radiation therapy, chemotherapy, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and mesenteric ischemia.

A case of 69 year old man with a nasopharyngeal carcinoma, treated by radiation therapy and chemotherapy, who developed a lethal mesenteric ischemia is described. Etiology of mesenteric ischemia was unknown. A review of literature had been made on Pubmed with terms: "Mesenteric ischemia" and cisplatin, 5-FU or fluorouracil, radiation therapy, cancer or neoplasm, "head and neck cancer" or "carcinoma of the nasopharynx.

In our case, the origin of the mesenteric ischemia is not atheromatous. Chimiotherapy with 5-fluorouracile and cisplatine, radiation therapy and morphine were suspected. According to literature, responsibility of morphine and radiation therapy is uncertain. In opposition, the 5-FU and the cisplatine can be incriminated.

Mesenteric ischemia is an uncommon adverse effect of a treatment with cisplatin and 5-FU. It's the second case of mesenteric ischemia associated with a treatment with 5-FU and cisplatin in a patient with a nasopharyngeal carcinoma. ENT physicians must be aware of this complication.