Gefitinib-Related Interstitial Pneumonia.

Lee, Ho Jin; Nam, Seung Bum; Jung, Jae Wook; Na, Im Il; Kim, Cheol Hyeon; Ryoo, Baek Yeol; Choe, Du Whan; Kang, Jin Hyung; Lee, Jae Cheol

doi:2007.62.2.134

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 62(2); 2007 > Article

Case Report

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2007;62(2):134-139.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2007.62.2.134 Published online February 1, 2007.

Gefitinib-Related Interstitial Pneumonia.

Ho Jin Lee, Seung Bum Nam, Jae Wook Jung, Im Il Na, Cheol Hyeon Kim, Baek Yeol Ryoo, Du Whan Choe, Jin Hyung Kang, Jae Cheol Lee

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Korea. jclee@kcch.re.kr
²Department of Radiology, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Korea.
³Department of Internal Medicine, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Gefitinib is a novel drug used to treat advanced non-small cell lung cancer. However, drug-related interstitial pneumonia is a major life-threatening side effect, which has a worldwide prevalence of 0.3-0.4%. In Japan, the prevalence is high as 3-4% but the actual frequency in Korea has not been officially assessed. We report two cases of gefitinib-induced interstitial lung disease during the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. High-resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) of one case showed nonspecific ground glass opacity and the chest x-ray of another case showed diffuse bilateral ground glass opacity. The former patient showed a rapid good response to corticosteroid treatment whereas the latter died despite receiving aggressive treatment with high dose corticosteroid and empirical antibiotics.

Key Words: Gefitinib, Non-small cell lung cancer, Interstitial pneumonia