title: Aortitis during intraarterial chemotherapy for cervical cancer.
abstract: A 76-year-old woman with stage IIb cervical cancer with a bulky tumor experienced aortitis during continuous intraarterial cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The chemotherapy was administered through a catheter tip placed in the aorta abdominalis, utilizing an external infusion pump. During the third course of chemotherapy, she complained of left-sided lower back pain and moderate fever was observed. Elevated white blood cell count (WBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) level were noted, and an abdominal X-ray and urgent computed tomography (CT) were performed. The catheter tip was displaced against the arterial blood flow. At this level of the aortic wall, soft tissue density surrounded the aorta completely. Aortitis caused by the intraarterial chemotherapy, was strongly suspected. It was thought that the maldistribution of drugs and changes in the drug flow occurred due to the vertebral height movement of the catheter tip against the aortic blood flow, and there, flow to the vasa vasorum may have occurred. Chemical vasculitis of the vasa vasorum due to the anticancer drugs was strongly suspected as a contributing factor of the aortitis. Because of the long-term use of an intraarterial catheter, the maldistribution of drugs and changes in the drug flow occurred physically and biologically during the course of the chemotherapy. We recommend occasional monitoring of the location of the catheter tip and a repeat evaluation with contrast medium in regard to flow to the vasa vasorum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie Prefectural Shima Hospital, 1257 Ugata, Ago, Shima, Mie 517-0595, Japan. hirohiko@ztv.ne.jp
authors.forename: Hirohiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawato
authors.forename: Toyo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kikukawa
authors.forename: Nagayasu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Toyoda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001025:Aortitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial / Q000009:adverse effects; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002945:Cisplatin