Atrial fibrillation induced by gemcitabine treatment in a 65-year-old man.
BACKGROUND
Gemcitabine, a pyrimidine analogue, is a cell cycle-specific antineoplastic agent that is structurally related to cytarabine. Major side effects of the treatment with gemcitabine are hepatic dysfunction, myelosuppression, renal impairment and pulmonary toxicity. Development of atrial fibrillation (AF) during gemcitabine treatment is very rare and was reported in only 2 case reports in the literature.


METHODS
We report the case of a 65-year-old man who developed AF under gemcitabine therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (stage IIIB). In this patient, AF was intrinsically associated with chemotherapy administration which triggered arrhythmia.


CONCLUSIONS
Although AF caused by gemcitabine appears to be rare, patients at risk of developing atrial fibrillation should be closely monitored for this complication.
Tavil
Yusuf
Y
Gazi University Medical School, Department of Cardiology, Ankara, Turkey. yusuftavil@gmail.com
Arslan
Ugur
U
Okyay
Kaan
K
Sen
Nihat
N
Boyaci
Bülent
B
D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012307:Risk Factors; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D002945:Cisplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine