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Pneumothorax after bevacizumab-containing chemotherapy: a case report
Sheng-Hsiang Yang1, Jen-Kou Lin, Wei-Shone Chen
1Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, No.201, Sec. 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan.
Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology
|October 30, 2010
Summary
Bevacizumab improves outcomes for metastatic colorectal cancer. However, this report details a rare case of spontaneous pneumothorax, a previously undocumented adverse effect of bevacizumab therapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pulmonology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treatment often involves 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy combined with bevacizumab.
- Bevacizumab is associated with adverse effects like bowel perforation, but pneumothorax has not been previously reported in English literature.
Observation:
- A 45-year-old male patient with lung metastases from colorectal cancer developed spontaneous pneumothorax.
- The event occurred after his second cycle of bevacizumab-containing chemotherapy.
Findings:
- The patient's pneumothorax resolved successfully with tube thoracostomy using a small-caliber catheter.
- The exact mechanism remains unclear, but potential causes include tumor necrosis leading to a ruptured parietal pleura.
Implications:
- Pneumothorax should be considered in the differential diagnosis for patients experiencing chest discomfort during bevacizumab therapy.
- This case highlights a novel potential adverse event associated with bevacizumab in mCRC patients with lung metastases.
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