Spontaneous bilateral pneumothorax in metastatic renal cell carcinoma on sunitinib therapy

Bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax is a rare occurrence in patients with both primary and metastatic lung cancer. Pneumothorax occurring as a complication of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitor therapy has not been previously described in the medical literature. Sunitinib m...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Gespeichert in:
Bibliographische Detailangaben
Veröffentlicht in:Cancer chemotherapy and pharmacology 2010-07, Vol.66 (2), p.409-412
Hauptverfasser: Katta, Anilkumar, Fesler, Mark J, Tan, Alan, Vuong, Giao, Richart, John M
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
Schlagworte:
Online-Zugang:Volltext
Tags: Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax is a rare occurrence in patients with both primary and metastatic lung cancer. Pneumothorax occurring as a complication of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitor therapy has not been previously described in the medical literature. Sunitinib malate is a VEGFR inhibitor approved for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. We present a patient with metastatic renal cell carcinoma manifested as bilateral pulmonary nodules who developed a bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax 3 weeks after initiation of sunitinib therapy. We believe that sunitinib therapy resulted in necrosis of multiple pleural-based pulmonary nodules with central cavernization and ultimately rupture with bronchopleural fistula formation. Based on this experience, we advise that practitioners exercise caution when prescribing anti-VEGFR therapy in patients with pleural-based pulmonary metastases and recognize that the efficacy and toxicity of these agents may be closely linked.
ISSN:0344-5704
1432-0843
DOI:10.1007/s00280-010-1291-3