Bevacizumab-induced aortic arterial thrombosis

Abstract

A 65-year-old man was diagnosed with advanced non-small, non-squamous lung cancer. He was treated with chemotherapy containing bevacizumab as well as cisplatin and pemetrexed. After 2 courses of treatment, computed tomography revealed that his abdominal aortic artery was almost occluded by a thrombus; however, he had no ischemic symptoms. Heparin infusion and warfarin reduced the size of the arterial thrombus and the patient was subsequently treated with chemotherapy without bevacizumab. No thrombotic events occurred during the subsequent treatment. We later noticed a small organized abdominal arterial clot and calcification on a computed tomography scan taken before bevacizumab treatment. Atherosclerotic changes should be evaluated before the administration of bevacizumab.