title: Prolonged and severe myelosuppression in two patients after low-dose temozolomide treatment- case study and review of literature.
abstract: Temozolomide is an alkylating agent used frequently in the management of gliomas. Although temozolomide is generally safe, rarely it can cause life threatening complications. Here we report the cases of two patients who developed prolonged and severe pancytopenia after low dose continuous temozolomide concurrently with cranial radiotherapy. The pancytopenia lasted two to six months. Both the patients were young, treatment naïve, and had temozolomide treatment for only approximately four weeks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. nsinghal@mail.rah.sa.gov.au
authors.forename: Nimit
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singhal
authors.forename: Sudarshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Selva-Nayagam
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D016371:Cranial Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000150:complications; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000077204:Temozolomide; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D003606:Dacarbazine; D000077204:Temozolomide