Fatal pulmonary bleomycin toxicity in cisplatin-induced acute renal failure

A 53-year-old male being treated for a metastatic squamous cell carcinoma had fatal pulmonary toxicity as a result of bleomycin therapy. The toxic reaction was observed when the conventional dose regimen of bleomycin was given to the patient who had unrecognized cisplatin-induced acute renal failure. Bleomycin dosage should be reduced in patients with established acute renal failure and the combination of cisplatin and bleomycin should be carefully followed.