HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Fatal pneumonitis after treatment with docetaxel and trastuzumab.

Rich66 · 09-26-2009, 04:57 PM

1: Neth J Med. 2009 Jun;67(6):237-9. Links: Fatal pneumonitis after treatment with docetaxel and trastuzumab.

Kuip E, Muller E.
Department of Internal Medicine, Slingeland Hospital, Doetinchem, The Netherlands. evelienkuip@hotmail.com
Pneumonitis is a rare but serious complication of docetaxel treatment. We report a 63-year-old woman with locally advanced breast cancer who was treated with docetaxel and trastuzumab. After the first course she was admitted with febrile neutropenia that resolved rapidly. After the second course she was admitted again with fever and dyspnoea. Despite intensive treatment she died of respiratory failure three weeks later. Autopsy showed diffuse interstitial inflammation of both lungs consistent with drug-induced inflammation. Docetaxel treatment was the most likely cause. It is important to be aware of this toxicity, because the subtle warning signs can easily be mistaken for an opportunistic infection, and, if not recognised in time, the mortality rate is high.
PMID: 19749395 [PubMed - in process

09-26-2009, 04:57 PM	#1
Rich66 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: South East Wisconsin Posts: 3,431	Fatal pneumonitis after treatment with docetaxel and trastuzumab. 1: Neth J Med. 2009 Jun;67(6):237-9. Links Fatal pneumonitis after treatment with docetaxel and trastuzumab. Kuip E, Muller E. Department of Internal Medicine, Slingeland Hospital, Doetinchem, The Netherlands. evelienkuip@hotmail.com Pneumonitis is a rare but serious complication of docetaxel treatment. We report a 63-year-old woman with locally advanced breast cancer who was treated with docetaxel and trastuzumab. After the first course she was admitted with febrile neutropenia that resolved rapidly. After the second course she was admitted again with fever and dyspnoea. Despite intensive treatment she died of respiratory failure three weeks later. Autopsy showed diffuse interstitial inflammation of both lungs consistent with drug-induced inflammation. Docetaxel treatment was the most likely cause. It is important to be aware of this toxicity, because the subtle warning signs can easily be mistaken for an opportunistic infection, and, if not recognised in time, the mortality rate is high. PMID: 19749395 [PubMed - in process