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Risk Factors for Interstitial Lung Disease Following Gefitinib Therapy

Purpose: To identify a patient with a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who may be at risk for interstitial fibrosis following gefitinib therapy.

Description

Ando et al listed risk factors for interstitial fibrosis occurring in a patient with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with gefitinib. These can help to identify a patient who should be monitored for this complication. The authors are from Kyoto University, Kinki University, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Osaki City General Hospital, Tokai University and the Aichi Cancer Center in Japan.


 

Gefitinib is an inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase.

 

About 4% of patients treated with gefitinib for NSLC will develop interstitial fibrosis.

 

Clinical features of the interstitial fibrosis due to gefitinib therapy:

(1) onset after initiation of gefitinib therapy

(2) worsening dyspnea, cough and fever:

(3) pulmonary infiltrates on imaging studies

(4) exclusion of infectious or other causes

 

Risk factors for interstitial fibrosis:

(1) male gender

(2) history of smoking

(3) concurrent interstitial pneumonia

 


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Specialty

Objective

ICD-10