Abstract
Background
Temozolomide (TMZ) is an alkylating agent used in chemoradiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy regimens for treatment of newly diagnosed or recurrent glioblastoma. In Germany alone, 900,000 daily doses of the drug are prescribed each year. Therefore, all severe side effects of TMZ, even those rarely observed, are relevant to radiotherapists.
Materials and methods
We report a case of severe drug-induced toxic hepatitis that developed during chemoradiotherapy with TMZ in a patient with glioblastoma multiforme.
Results
Transaminase elevation was observed after 5 weeks of TMZ treatment, followed by severe jaundice symptoms which only subsided 2 months later. These findings were consistent with diagnosis of the mixed hepatic/cholestatic type of drug-induced toxic hepatitis. Due to the early termination of treatment, no life-threatening complications occurred in our patient. However, rare reports of encephalopathy and fatality as complications of TMZ therapy can be found in the literature.
Conclusion
When using TMZ for treatment of glioblastoma, monitoring of liver enzyme levels should be performed twice weekly to prevent fatal toxic hepatitis. In the case of any drug-induced hepatitis, TMZ must be discontinued immediately.
Zusammenfassung
Temozolomid (TMZ) ist als Alkylanz Bestandteil der Radiochemotherapie und der adjuvanten Chemotherapie zur Behandlung neu diagnostizierter und rezidivierender Glioblastome. Allein in Deutschland werden jährlich 90.000 Tagesdosen verordnet. Daher sind auch seltene gravierende Nebenwirkungen für Strahlentherapeuten relevant.
Material und Methoden
Wir berichten von einer Patientin mit Glioblastoma multiforme, die während der Radiochemotherapie mit TMZ eine medikamentös-toxische Hepatitis entwickelte.
Ergebnisse
In der 5. Behandlungswoche kam es zum Anstieg der Transaminasen und nachfolgend zu einem Ikterus, der sich erst nach 2 Monaten zurückbildete, was dem Bild der hepatitisch-cholestatischen Mischform der medikamentös-toxischen Hepatitis entspricht. Wesentliche Komplikationen ergaben sich nicht. In der Literatur sind vereinzelt enzephalopathische und fatale Verläufe beschrieben.
Schlussfolgerung
Bei der Behandlung mit TMZ ist eine 2-mal wöchentliche Kontrolle der Leberenzyme und Cholestaseparameter erforderlich, um fatale Verläufe einer toxischen Hepatitis zu vermeiden.
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Compliance with ethical guidelines
F. Becker, M. Hecht, J. Schmidtner, S. Semrau and R. Fietkau state that there are no conflicts of interest.
The accompanying manuscript does not include studies on humans or animals.
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Becker, F., Hecht, M., Schmidtner, J. et al. Temozolomide-induced liver damage. Strahlenther Onkol 190, 408–410 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-013-0519-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00066-013-0519-7