The Spectrum of Pulmonary Toxicity in Pancreatic Cancer Patients Receiving Gemcitabine Combination Chemotherapy

Synthesis, characterization, and anticancer evaluation of 1,3-bistetrahydrofuran-2yl-5-FU as a potential agent for pancreatic cancer

The failure of current chemotherapeutic agents for pancreatic cancer (PCa) makes it the most aggressive soft tissue tumor with a 5-year survival of slightly above 10% and is estimated to be the second leading cause of cancer death by 2030.

OBJECTIVE

The main aim was to synthesize, characterize and evaluate the anticancer activity of 1,3-bistetrahydrofuran-2yl-5FU (MFU).

METHODS

MFU was synthesized by using 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and tetrahydrofuran acetate, and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), micro-elemental analysis, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and liquid chromatography with mass spectrophotometry (LC-MS). MFU and Gemcitabine hydrochloride (GemHCl) were tested for antiproliferative activity against MiaPaca-2 and Panc-1 cell lines.

RESULTS

The half-minimum inhibitory concentration (IC50) of MFU was twice lower than that of GemHCl when used in both cell lines. MiaPaca-2 cells (MFU-IC50 = 4.5 ± 1.2 μM vs. GemHCl-IC50 = 10.3 ± 1.1 μM); meanwhile similar trend was observed in Panc-1 cells (MFU-IC50 = 3.0 ± 1 μM vs. GemHCl-IC50 = 6.1 ± 1.03 μM). The MFU and GemHCl effects on 3D spheroids showed a similar trend (IC50-GemHCl = 14.3 ± 1.1 μM vs. IC50-MFU = 7.2 ± 1.1 μM) for MiaPaca-2 cells, and (IC50-GemHCl = 16.3 ± 1.1 μM vs. IC50-MFU = 9.2 ± 1.1 μM) for Panc-1 cells. MFU significantly inhibited clonogenic cell growth, and induced cell death via apoptosis. Cell cycle data showed mean PI for GemHCl (48.5-55.7) twice higher than MFU (24.7 to 27.9) for MiaPaca-2 cells, and similarly to Panc-1 cells. The in-vivo model showed intensely stained EGFR (stained brown) in all control, GemHCl and MFU-treated mice bearing subcutaneous PDX tumors, however, HER2 expression was less stained in MFU-treated tumors compared to GemHCl-treated tumors and controls. Mean tumor volume of MFU-treated mice (361 ± 33.5 mm3) was three-fold lower than GemHCl-treated mice (1074 ± 181.2 mm3) bearing pancreatic PDX tumors.

CONCLUSION

MFU was synthesized with high purity and may have potential anticancer activity against PCa.

RARE PULMONARY TOXICITY DUE TO GEMCITABINE: BOOP

Gemsitabin bir primidin antimetabolitidir, küçük hücreli dışı akciğer karsinomu, pankreas, meme, ürogenital malignitelerde artan sıklıkta kullanılan, iyi tolere edilen bir kemoteropatiktir. En önemli doz kısıtlayıcı toksisitesi myelosupresyondur. Gemsitabin kullanımına bağlı gelişen pulmoner toksisiteler bronkospazm, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), plevral effüzyon ve interstisyel pnömonidir. Mesane karsinomu nedeniyle 5 kür sisplatin-gemsitabin kemoterapisi alan erkek hastada nefes darlığı, ateş ve öksürük yakınmaları ortaya çıkması, toraks bilgisayarlı tomografisinde (BT) periferik ağırlıklı, yamalı tarzda konsolidasyon alanları görülmesi, antibiyotik tedavisiyle yanıt alınamaması, olası dispne nedenleri dışlanması sonucunda klinik ve radyolojik olarak bronşiolitis obliterans organize pnömonisi (BOOP) düşünülmüş ve kortikosteroid tedavisi ile belirgin düzelme sağlanmıştır. Tanı ve tedavide gecikme fatal sonuçlara yol açabileceği için gemsitabin kullanımına bağlı pulmoner toksisite olarak BOOP gelişebileceği de akılda tutulmalıdır

A Rare Case of Gemcitabine-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension

Context

Gemcitabine is the backbone of systemic treatment of locally advanced and metastatic intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. In recent literature, gemcitabine has been linked to various pulmonary side effects.

Case Report

We report a case of an 82-year-old male who developed acute pulmonary hypertension after receiving one cycle of gemcitabine for metastatic cholangiocarcinoma. His symptoms began with fatigue associated with shortness of breath and cough that worsened despite dose reduction. He developed new onset bilateral pulmonary effusions and an echocardiogram revealed findings consistent with pulmonary hypertension. A computed tomography (CT) angiogram was negative for pulmonary thromboembolism. Although he was promptly treated with diuretics and steroids, the patient could not tolerate any further therapy.

Conclusion

Gemcitabine-induced pulmonary hypertension is rare and can be challenging to diagnose, as it remains a diagnosis of exclusion. However, physicians should be vigilant of new pulmonary symptoms, as delayed treatment can cause significant patient morbidity and mortality.

Grade 4 Pneumonitis in a Patient Treated with a Combination of Gemcitabine and Docetaxel for Recurrent Leiomyosarcoma of the Uterus

Gemcitabine and docetaxel combination chemotherapy is the standard of care for patients with unresectable recurrent or metastatic leiomyosarcoma of the uterus. Although they are generally well-tolerated agents, they can also cause severe and life-threatening pulmonary toxicities. Here, we describe a case of grade 4 pneumonitis due to gemcitabine and docetaxel in a 74-year-old woman with recurrent, metastatic uterine leiomyosarcoma. Despite early recognition of chemotherapy-induced lung injury and early administration of corticosteroid, she developed noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. She required multiple intubations and a tracheostomy. Physicians should not only be aware of gemcitabine and docetaxel’s potential to cause life-threatening pulmonary injuries but also recognize the variability in clinical presentations and treatment responses, the radiographic findings of these lung toxicities, and the need for early corticosteroid therapy in these cases.