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Pseudomembranous colitis associated with chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil

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Abstract

Pseudomembranous colitis is frequently associated with antibiotics and more rarely with chemotherapeutic agents such as 5-fluorouracil. The objective of this study is to show that it is possible to confuse this infection with chemotherapy associated toxicity. We present a 54 year old woman who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer and in the first cycle of chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil developed pseudomembranous colitis. We detected the toxin B ofClostridium difficile in stools and we began early antibiotic treatment. Thus, in patients with post chemotherapy neutropenia and diarrhoea that develop negatively, we have to rule out this infection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Servicio de Oncología Médica, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain

    Rafael Morales Chamorro, Raquel Serrano Blanch, María José Méndez Vidal, María Auxiliadora Gómez España, María Jesús Rubio Pérez, Juan Rafael de la Haba Rodríguez & Enrique Aranda Aguilar

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  1. Rafael Morales Chamorro
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  2. Raquel Serrano Blanch
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  3. María José Méndez Vidal
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  4. María Auxiliadora Gómez España
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  5. María Jesús Rubio Pérez
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  6. Juan Rafael de la Haba Rodríguez
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  7. Enrique Aranda Aguilar
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Correspondence to Rafael Morales Chamorro.

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Chamorro, R.M., Blanch, R.S., Vidal, M.J.M. et al. Pseudomembranous colitis associated with chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil. Clin Transl Oncol 7, 258–261 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02710173

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02710173

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