Early stage of fulminant idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis cured by intense combination therapy using cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone.
A 19-year-old patient was treated who developed a life-threatening pulmonary insufficiency after having suffered from a flu-like illness for 13 days. Lung biopsy revealed an early stage of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Chemotherapy by prednisone alone proved ineffective. A combination of prednisone and massive doses of cyclophosphamide and vincristine, however, was effective in halting the rapid progression of the disease. The patient recovered gradually; the results of the pulmonary function tests were close to normal 2 weeks after the onset of therapy. Lung biopsy showed normal lung histology 7 months later. The patient has had no complaints at all for more than 3 years after the episode so that we may assume that he recovered fully.
D000328:Adult; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D014750:Vincristine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone