A patient presenting nasal septum perforation during bevacizumab-containing chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer

Nasal septum perforation is a rare but described complication of the anti-angiogenetic agent bevacizumab. This is the case of a 48-year-old female breast cancer patient, who developed a nasal septum perforation during treatment with paclitaxel and bevacizumab for advanced disease. After 2 cycles the patient developed nasal irritation and occasional epistaxis; after the 4th cycle with bevacizumab the symptoms worsened to include nasal congestion, major epistaxis and rhinorrhoea. Anterior rhinoscopy revealed a large perforation involving the antero-inferior portion of the cartilaginous nasal septum surrounded by necrotic mucosa. The upper septum and the columellar strut were intact. The patient denied use of cocaine or other intranasal irritants. Bevacizumab was discontinued and with only a topical intranasal vitamin application the symptoms improved. One month later anterior rhinoscopy showed that the lesion healed and normal mucosa surrounded the previous site of perforation. The patient continued successfully with other chemotherapy regimens (gemcitabine and then vinorelbine) until irreversible progressive disease led to her death in February 2010. Thus far 8 other cases of bevacizumab-related nasal septum perforation have been published: 5 patients with colorectal cancer, 2 patients with breast cancer and 1 with ovarian cancer. Nasal septum perforation is an emerging challenge with targeted therapies and in particular with antiangiogenetic or antivascular agents. A rapid diagnosis is important and hence we recommend that patients undergoing treatment with bevacizumab and presenting with nasal symptoms (epistaxis, crusting, rhinorrhoea, nasal congestion and local pain or irritation) should undergo anterior rhinoscopy immediately.