Pemetrexed-associated urticarial vasculitis
Wednesday, December 21st, 2005.
Lung Cancer. Received 19 September 2005; accepted 3 October 2005. Available online 19 December 2005. [Link]
Gilberto Lopesa, Vladimir Vincekb and Luis E. Raeza
aDivision of Hematology/Oncology, Sylvester Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, United States
bDepartment of Pathology, Sylvester Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fl, United States
Abstract
Pemetrexed (Alimta™, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN) is a structurally novel anti-folate agent. The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved pemetrexed for the treatment of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma and previously treated patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. In the phase III trials that led to its approval, rash was reported in 17 and 22% of patients receiving pemetrexed alone or in combination with cisplatin. However, little has been published about the characteristics of this rash or about its mechanism. In an attempt to contribute to the growing body of knowledge about this new agent, we describe a case in which a patient developed a rash secondary to urticarial vasculitis associated with pemetrexed.
Keywords: Pemetrexed; Vasculitis; Non-small cell lung cancer; Skin; Rash; Urticaria
Glossary
- Alimta
- (pemetrexed) trademarked name under which pemetrexed is marketed. Chemotherapy drug. See: pemetrexed.
- oncology
- (on-call-o-jee) the branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
- cell
- the basic unit of which all living things are made. Cells replace themselves by splitting and forming new cells (mitosis). The processes that control the formation of new cells and the death of old cells are disrupted in cancer.
- cancer
- malignancy; a group of diseases typified by abnormal, generally out-of-control, cell growth.
- mesothelioma
- a tumor derived from mesothelial tissue, such as the peritoneum (lining the abdomen) or pleura (lining the lungs). More on mesothelioma.
- pemetrexed
- chemotheraputic agent that interferes with a crucial process that allows cancer cells to reproduce and spread. Specifically, pemetrexed stops the production of three enzymes that are required to feed the cancer cell. Often used in combination with cisplatin. Marketed under the name ALIMTA. See: Alimta.
