Suspected paclitaxel-induced pneumonitis

Abstract

We report two patients with advanced gastric cancer with suspected paclitaxel-induced interstitial pneumonitis. Case 1, a 66-year-old man with recurrent gastric cancer, was treated weekly with paclitaxel. After 11 administrations of paclitaxel, he developed a nonproductive cough and dyspnea. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed extensive bilateral areas of ground-glass attenuation. He did not respond to corticosteroid, and died 57 days after the last paclitaxel administration. Case 2, a 61-year-old man with gastric cancer and liver metastasis, was treated with weekly paclitaxel. The liver metastasis was dramatically reduced in size, but he developed a nonproductive cough and dyspnea after 21 administrations of paclitaxel. He did not respond to high-dose corticosteroid, and died 50 days after the last paclitaxel administration. Although it is a rare complication, paclitaxel-induced interstitial pneumonitis needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis when patients treated with paclitaxel present with fever, nonproductive cough, and dyspnea. © 2006 International and Japanese Gastric Cancer Association.