Gefitinib-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation in a patient with non-small cell lung cancer

• Published in: Chinese medical journal Vol. 123; no. 4; pp. 505 - 506
• Main Authors: Yuan, Guang-jin, Ke, Qin-hua, Xu, Xi-ming, Yang, Ji-yuan, Su, Xiao-yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China Cancer Center, 82nd Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Huai'an, Jiangsu 223001, China%Department of Oncology, First People's Hospital of Jingzhou,Jingzhou, Hubei 434000, China%Cancer Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan,Hubei 430060, China 20.02.2010
• Subjects: Aged; Antineoplastic Agents - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - drug therapy; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation - chemically induced; Female; Humans; Quinazolines - adverse effects; Quinazolines - therapeutic use; 不良反应; 严重程度; 皮肤瘙痒; 血管内凝血; 表皮生长因子受体; 非小细胞肺癌; non-small cell lung cancer; adverse event; gefitinib; disseminated intravascular coagulation
• ISSN: 0366-6999; 2542-5641
• DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0366-6999.2010.04.022

In February 2005, Gefitinib （Iressa）, a small-molecular .epidermal growth factor receptor and tyrosine kinaseinhibitor, was approved in China as an anticancer agent for patients with advanced （local or metastatic） non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）, who failed prior chemotherapy. The common adverse events of the drug include acne-like skin rash, paronychia, pruritus, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, anorexia, hepatitis, and hyperbilirubinemia.1 However, these adverse events are generally mild in severity and reversible on cessation of the treatment. Therefore, gefitinib has been regarded as a relatively safe agent,