Extensive bowel necrosis related to bevacizumab in metastatic rectal cancer patient: a case report and review of literature

Bevacizumab-associated intestinal perforation and perioperative complications in patients receiving bevacizumab

AIM

The purposes of this study are to present cases of emergency surgery in which gastrointestinal perforation occurred during bevacizumab administration, consider the indications for emergency surgery, and examine the safety of scheduled surgery after a washout period for bevacizumab.

METHODS

(a) We retrospectively investigated seven patients who underwent emergency surgery for bevacizumab-associated intestinal perforation. (b) We investigated 104 patients with advanced colorectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant therapy who underwent surgery from 2008 to 2018, retrospectively.

RESULTS

(a) In the seven patients undergoing emergency surgery for gastrointestinal perforation, the median bevacizumab administration and washout periods were 16 weeks and 24 days, respectively. A stoma was created in all patients except in those who were not candidates. Two patients developed postoperative abdominal abscesses, and two patients died from perioperative sepsis and gastrointestinal bleeding, respectively; both of these patients had poor performance status. (b) In patients receiving bevacizumab (n = 45) and patients treated with bevacizumab-free regimens as neoadjuvant therapy (n = 59), 31 and 52 patients received chemoradiotherapy, respectively. We found no correlation with postoperative complications with or without bevacizumab.

CONCLUSION

The surgical indications should be considered carefully in patients with gastrointestinal perforation secondary to bevacizumab administration. Meanwhile, after appropriate cessation time, scheduled surgery following bevacizumab administration is feasible.

Late anastomotic breakdown with bevacizumab in colorectal cancers, a case-based review

BACKGROUND

Bevacizumab is the first angiogenesis inhibitor to be approved for metastatic colorectal cancer. Unfortunately, bevacizumab treatment has been associated with a variety of complications including haemorrhage, poor wound healing and gastrointestinal perforation. Late anastomotic breakdown related to bevacizumab therapy however has rarely been described.

CASE REPORT

Here, we present the case of a 56-year-old woman who had a bevacizumab-related anastomotic breakdown 17 months following her primary anastomosis. She initially underwent an emergency Hartmann's procedure and two further laparotomies for significant intra-abdominal haemorrhage. Despite the best efforts of the surgical and intensive care teams, ultimately, the patient passed away.

DISCUSSION

There is a small but growing body of literature relating to bevacizumab use and late anastomotic breakdown. It would seem prudent to take extra caution when using bevacizumab in those patients with previous pelvic irradiation, who have a rectal site of anastomosis or have experienced a previous anastomotic leak.

Local advanced rectal cancer perforation in the midst of preoperative chemoradiotherapy: A case report and literature review

Standard chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for local advanced rectal cancer (LARC) rarely induce rectal perforation. Here we report a rare case of rectal perforation in a patient with LARC in the midst of preoperative CRT. A 56-year-old male was conveyed to our hospital exhibiting general malaise. Colonoscopy and imaging tests resulted in a clinical diagnosis of LARC with direct invasion to adjacent organs and regional lymphadenopathy. Preoperative 5-fluorouracil-based CRT was started. At 25 d after the start of CRT, the patient developed a typical fever. Computed tomography revealed rectal perforation, and he underwent emergency sigmoid colostomy. At 12 d after the surgery, the remaining CRT was completed according to the original plan. The histopathological findings after radical operation revealed a wide field of tumor necrosis and fibrosis without lymph node metastasis. We share this case as important evidence for the treatment of LARC perforation in the midst of preoperative CRT.

Severe periocular bleeding induced by bevacizumab in a patient with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme

Bevacizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting vascular endothelial growth factor, and it has been shown to improve progression-free survival in patients with recurrent glioblastome multiforme when administered as second-line therapy. However, it has been associated with serious and fatal hemorrhagic events. Here, we present a 68-year-old male who developed severe periocular bleeding while on bevacizumab for recurrent temozolamide-resistant glioblastome multiforme.

Neovascular glaucoma: a retrospective review from a tertiary center in China

Background

The purpose of this study is to report the prevalence, etiology, treatment and outcomes of neovascular glaucoma (NVG) in a tertiary care ophthalmic center in China.

Methods

Medical records of patients diagnosed as NVG at the Wenzhou Medical University between 2003 and 2014 were reviewed. Success was defined as IOP between 6 and 21 mmHg without topical or systemic glaucoma medications with retention of presenting visual acuity (VA).

Results

NVG was diagnosed in 483 of 8306 (5.8 %) of all glaucoma patients. Etiology is reported for all 310 eyes of 284 patients managed in the department. Interventions depended on insurance as well as personal finances; outcomes are reported for the 149 eyes of 138 patients with complete data that met follow up requirements. Diabetic retinopathy (DR,39.7 %) was the major cause of NVG. Kaplan Meier survival analysis showed a success rate of 84.8 % at 1 year, 47.5 % at 3 years and 21.9 % at 5 years. Major interventions included glaucoma drainage device (GDD) in 103 eyes and trans-scleral cyclophotocoagulation (TSCPC) in 22 eyes. Complications were more common in the GDD group.

Conclusions

NVG comprised 5.8 % of glaucoma patients seen in a tertiary Chinese hospital. DR was identified as the commonest cause and probably reflects the increasing prevalence of diabetes in China. Surgical interventions were partly determined by insurance status and personal finances. GDD was the commonest surgical intervention used and also had the most complications.