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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 14, 2007; 13(14): 2135-2137
Published online Apr 14, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i14.2135
Published online Apr 14, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i14.2135
A case of capecitabine-induced coronary microspasm in a patient with rectal cancer
Leire Arbea, Rafael Martinez-Monge, Jesús García-Foncillas, Radiation Oncology Division, Department of Oncology, Clínica Universitaria, University of Navarra, Avda Pío XII s/n 31080, Spain
Isabel Coma-Canella, Department of Cardiology, Clínica Universitaria, University of Navarra, Avda Pío XII s/n 31080, Spain
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Leire Arbea, MD, Radiation Oncology Division, Department of Oncology, Clínica Universitaria, University of Navarra, Avda, Pío XII s/n. 31080, Spain. larbea@unav.es
Telephone: +34-948-255400 Fax: +34-948-255500
Received: August 11, 2006
Revised: March 23, 2007
Accepted: March 31, 2007
Published online: April 14, 2007
Revised: March 23, 2007
Accepted: March 31, 2007
Published online: April 14, 2007
Abstract
5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is the most frequently used chemotherapy agent concomitant with radiotherapy in the management of patients with rectal cancer. Capecitabine is an oral fluoropyrimidine that mimics the pharmaconkinetics of infusional 5-FU. This new drug is replacing 5-FU as a part of the combined-modality treatment of a number of gastrointestinal cancers. While cardiac events associated with the use of 5-FU are a well known side effect, capecitabine-induced cardiotoxicity has been only rarely reported. Here, we reviewed the case of a patient with rectal cancer who had a capecitabine-induced coronary vasospasm. The most prominent mutation of the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene was also analyzed.
Keywords: Rectal cancer; Capecitabine; Cardiotoxicity