Gastrointestinal Injury Related to Antiangiogenesis Cancer Therapy

Data on gastrointestinal toxicities related antiangiogenesis cancer therapy is very limited. We aim to describe the clinical, endoscopic, and histologic features and outcomes of antiangiogenesis-associated colitis and diarrhea (ACD) at a tertiary-care cancer center.

We performed a retrospective study of cancer patients who received antiangiogenesis therapy (AAT) and underwent endoscopy for ACD symptoms during 2000-2018.

A total of 12,045 patients received AAT during the study period. Of these, 552 patients underwent lower gastrointestinal tract endoscopic evaluation after AAT. Among them, we identified 41 patients who developed ACD. The median time from AAT initiation to ACD onset was 20 weeks. Most patients received bevacizumab (83%). The median duration of ACD symptoms was 6 days. On endoscopy, 7 patients (17%) had mucosal ulceration, and 16 (39%) had nonulcerative inflammation. Active histologic inflammation was evident in 8 patients (20%). Thirteen patients (32%) received treatment for ACD: antibiotics in 5 (12%) and antimotility agents in 11 (27%). Sixteen patients (39%) were hospitalized for ACD, and 2 were admitted to the intensive care unit. One colonic perforation (2%) related to underlying malignancy was reported after colonoscopy. Patients with enterocolitis symptoms had more frequent abnormal endoscopic findings (P = .024) and less frequently received antimotility agents (P = .011) compared to those with diarrhea only. Abnormal endoscopic findings were associated with more hospitalizations (P = .063) compared to normal group.

ACD is a rare adverse event of AAT and is usually mild. Despite its rarity, complications of ACD can be serious, requiring intensive care unit and surgery. Colonic perforation occurred after routine endoscopy after AAT in 2% of our cohort.