Toxic pneumonitis induced by trastuzumab as a potentially fatal event: a case report
Authors: Raquel Fontes, Jorge Rodrigues, Camila Oliveira, Mauricio Peixoto, Ricardo Fernandes, Luisa Queiroz, Catarina Portela, Marta Almeida, Rui Nabico
Background: Trastuzumab is a widely used and well-tolerated drug. Pulmonary toxicity has been described; however, the low incidence, the variability at presentation, and the nonspecific characteristics often make it an exclusion diagnosis. Case presentation: We present the case of a 62-year-old women admitted to our service with fever and shortness of breast after treatment with trastuzumab. From the study performed, no other cause was found to explain the event and the patient kept worsening until the diagnosis was established. Conclusion: Although pneumonitis is a rare side effect of trastuzumab administration, early recognition and appropriate therapy are crucial and may be lifesaving.
Keywords: breast cancer; trastuzumab; adverse reactions; pulmonary toxicity; case report
Authors
Correspondence to:
Raquel Silva Fontes, Medical Oncology, Hospital of Braga, Braga, Portugal ana.raquel.fontes@gmail.com
Publication history:
Received 21 Nov 2021
Revised 11 Mar 2022
Accepted 18 Mar 2022
Published online 12 Apr 2022
Published in print 20 Apr 2022
Fontes R, Rodrigues J, Oliveira C, Peixoto M, Fernandes R, Queiroz L, Portela C, Almeida M, Nabico R. Toxic pneumonitis induced by trastuzumab as a potentially fatal event: a case report. EJMCR. 2022; 6(3): 48-51. doi:
10.24911/ejmcr/173-1637238300
Fontes R, Rodrigues J, Oliveira C, Peixoto M, Fernandes R, Queiroz L, Portela C, Almeida M, Nabico R. Toxic pneumonitis induced by trastuzumab as a potentially fatal event: a case report. https://www.ejmcr.com/?mno=12829 [Access: May 02, 2024]. doi:
10.24911/ejmcr/173-1637238300
Fontes R, Rodrigues J, Oliveira C, Peixoto M, Fernandes R, Queiroz L, Portela C, Almeida M, Nabico R. Toxic pneumonitis induced by trastuzumab as a potentially fatal event: a case report. EJMCR. 2022; 6(3): 48-51. doi:
10.24911/ejmcr/173-1637238300
Fontes R, Rodrigues J, Oliveira C, Peixoto M, Fernandes R, Queiroz L, Portela C, Almeida M, Nabico R. Toxic pneumonitis induced by trastuzumab as a potentially fatal event: a case report. EJMCR. (2022), [cited May 02, 2024]; 6(3): 48-51. doi:
10.24911/ejmcr/173-1637238300
Fontes, R., Rodrigues, . J., Oliveira, . C., Peixoto, . M., Fernandes, . R., Queiroz, . L., Portela, . C., Almeida, . M. & Nabico, . R. (2022) Toxic pneumonitis induced by trastuzumab as a potentially fatal event: a case report. EJMCR, 6 (3), 48-51. doi:
10.24911/ejmcr/173-1637238300
Fontes, Raquel, Jorge Rodrigues, Camila Oliveira, Mauricio Peixoto, Ricardo Fernandes, Luisa Queiroz, Catarina Portela, Marta Almeida, and Rui Nabico. 2022. Toxic pneumonitis induced by trastuzumab as a potentially fatal event: a case report. European Journal of Medical Case Reports, 6 (3), 48-51. doi:
10.24911/ejmcr/173-1637238300
Fontes, Raquel, Jorge Rodrigues, Camila Oliveira, Mauricio Peixoto, Ricardo Fernandes, Luisa Queiroz, Catarina Portela, Marta Almeida, and Rui Nabico. "Toxic pneumonitis induced by trastuzumab as a potentially fatal event: a case report." European Journal of Medical Case Reports 6 (2022), 48-51. doi:
10.24911/ejmcr/173-1637238300
Fontes, Raquel, Jorge Rodrigues, Camila Oliveira, Mauricio Peixoto, Ricardo Fernandes, Luisa Queiroz, Catarina Portela, Marta Almeida, and Rui Nabico. "Toxic pneumonitis induced by trastuzumab as a potentially fatal event: a case report." European Journal of Medical Case Reports 6.3 (2022), 48-51. Print. doi:
10.24911/ejmcr/173-1637238300
Fontes, R., Rodrigues, . J., Oliveira, . C., Peixoto, . M., Fernandes, . R., Queiroz, . L., Portela, . C., Almeida, . M. & Nabico, . R. (2022) Toxic pneumonitis induced by trastuzumab as a potentially fatal event: a case report. European Journal of Medical Case Reports, 6 (3), 48-51. doi:
10.24911/ejmcr/173-1637238300