title: The role of glucocorticoids in the treatment of fulminant hepatitis induced by dacarbazine.
abstract: Dacarbazine (DTIC) is commonly used for the treatment of malignant melanoma and Hodgkin's disease. A very rare complication of this cytotoxic agent is acute vascular hepatic damage, e.g. veno-occlusive disease or Budd-Chiari syndrome. The pathophysiological mechanism involved seems to be an immune reaction. This complication is frequently fatal. We report a patient who developed severe hepatic failure following DTIC treatment who responded favorably to treatment with glucocorticosteroid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine A and Liver Clinic-Meir Hospital, Kfar-Saba and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Yair
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Herishanu
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lishner
authors.forename: Yona
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitay-Cohen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003606:Dacarbazine