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Case Reports
. 2017 Jun 14;10(2):524-530.
doi: 10.1159/000477340. eCollection 2017 May-Aug.

Interstitial Pneumonitis Secondary to Trastuzumab: A Case Report and Literature Review

Ricardo Costa  1 , Rubens B Costa-Filho  1 , Sarah M Talamantes  2 , Fernando Queiroga Jr  3 , Emmanuel C Campello  3 , Henrique Cartaxo  4 , Rubens B Costa  5
Affiliations
Case Reports

Interstitial Pneumonitis Secondary to Trastuzumab: A Case Report and Literature Review

Ricardo Costa et al. Case Rep Oncol. .

Abstract

Interstitial lung disease is a rare complication of trastuzumab-based breast cancer treatment with few case reports published. Herein, we report the case of a 67-year-old female with early-stage HER2-postitive breast cancer who developed interstitial pneumonitis during cycle 5 of treatment with trastuzumab combined with carboplatin and docetaxel. After supportive care and treatment with prednisone, the patient showed rapid improvement of respiratory symptoms. Retreatment with trastuzumab as a single agent led to worsening of symptoms and required a second course of treatment with prednisone combined with cyclophosphamide, which was followed by improvement of symptoms. In conclusion, interstitial pneumonitis is a rare but life-threatening adverse event from trastuzumab breast cancer treatment.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Pneumonitis; Toxicity; Trastuzumab.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Computerized tomography (CT) of the chest before, during, and after treatment. a Staging CT of the chest showing absence of lung disease. b CT of the chest performed after 5 cycles of adjuvant treatment with carboplatin, docetaxel, and trastuzumab. CT shows ground glass opacities on both lungs. c CT of the chest showing improvement of ground glass opacities after discontinuation of docetaxel, carboplatin, and trastuzumab. d CT of the chest showing worsening ground glass opacities on both lungs after trastuzumab reexposure.
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