Key result
Gemcitabine infusion linked to poorly tolerated AFib that resolves after treatment withdrawal.
Why the study?
Cardiac adverse events from gemcitabine are rarely reported, with gemcitabine-induced AF described in only five previous cases.
Case Report (n=1)
Gemcitabine can rarely induce atrial fibrillation, a severe adverse event that may necessitate treatment discontinuation, particularly in elderly patients.
Gemcitabine may rarely trigger AF in elderly cancer patients; this case report leaves open causality and requires confirmation before practice change.
INTRODUCTION: Gemcitabine is a commonly used antimetabolite that has been effective in a broad spec- trum of tumors so far. The main grade three and four known toxicity of this drug is myelosuppres- sion. Cardiac adverse events have been rarely reported and gemcitabine-induced Atrial-Fibrillation (AF) has been described in only five previous cases so far. Here we report the 6th case of gemc- itabine-related AF. CASE PRESENTATION: A 68-year-old man diagnosed with metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer was referred to our oncology department. He started first-line chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin. He presented poorly tolerated atrial fibrillation related to gemcitabine infusion that lasted for six days. The treatment was then withdrawn, and the patient received the best supportive care. CONCLUSION: We conclude that medical oncologists and cardiologists should be aware of such toxicities of gemc- itabine, especially in the elderly who seem to be at a higher risk of such adverse events and which may dictate discontinuation of the drug.
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Abdallah et al. (2021) conducted a case report in Metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer (n=1). Gemcitabine was evaluated on Atrial fibrillation. A 68-year-old man with metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer developed poorly tolerated atrial fibrillation related to gemcitabine infusion, which resolved after treatment withdrawal.
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