Author/Authors :
Ozturk, Banu Gazi Üniversitesi - Departments of Medical Oncology, Turkey , Tacoy, Gulten Gazi Üniversitesi - Departments of Cardiology, Turkey , Coskun, Ugur Gazi Üniversitesi - Departments of Medical Oncology, Turkey , Yaman, Emel Gazi Üniversitesi - Departments of Medical Oncology, Turkey , Sahin, Giray Gazi Üniversitesi - Departments of Medical Oncology, Turkey , Buyukberber, Suleyman Gazi Üniversitesi - Departments of Medical Oncology, Turkey , Yildiz, Ramazan Gazi Üniversitesi - Departments of Medical Oncology, Turkey , O. Kaya, Ali Gazi Üniversitesi - Departments of Medical Oncology, Turkey , Topal, Salih Gazi Üniversitesi - Departments of Cardiology, Turkey , Ozdemir, Murat Gazi Üniversitesi - Departments of Cardiology, Turkey , Benekli, Mustafa Gazi Üniversitesi - Departments of Medical Oncology, Turkey
Abstract :
Objectives: To report a case of metastatic leiomyosarcoma, in which a patient developed chest pain accompanied by acute left bundle-branch block (LBBB) after gemcitabine infusion.Clinical Presentation and Intervention: A 59-yearold woman admitted with bilateral pulmonary nodules had classic risk factors for coronary heart disease and coronary stenosis as demonstrated by previous coronary angiography.She was treated with gemcitabine infusion, and 30 min later she experienced severe chest pain accompanied by acute LBBB confirmed by ECG. We suspected gemcitabineinduced coronary vasospasm exacerbated by the preexisting coronary artery disease as the cause of the acute coronary syndrome. The patient was subsequently treated with antianginal therapy and percutaneous coronary intervention.Her chest pain resolved and LBBB disappeared. She was discharged 2 days later without any further cardiac events.No additional cancer therapy was given and she died 5 months later, due to disease progression. Conclusion: This case showed that chemotherapeutic agents must be administered with intensive cardiac monitoring especially in patients with cardiac disease and well-known risk factors to prevent the development of cardiac complications, despite an agent not being known to be ‘cardiotoxic’.
