Anastrozole-associated sclerosing glomerulonephritis in a patient with breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Anastrozole is a selective aromatase inhibitor and is used for the hormonal treatment of postmenopausal breast cancer. There are major side effects of anastrozole including decrease in both lumbar spine and total hip bone mineral density, increase in the incidence of all bone fractures (especially fractures of spine, hip and wrist), joint disorders and increase in the cholesterol level.


METHODS
We report a case of a 73-year-old postmenopausal woman with stage T2N0M0 breast cancer. Adjuvant chemotherapy was not indicated and anastrozole hormonotherapy was started. Diagnosis of sclerosing glomerulonephritis occurred in this patient during anastrozole use, suggesting a newly defined side effect of anastrozole.


CONCLUSIONS
Renal elimination is not a significant pathway of elimination for anastrozole, clearance of anastrozole is unchanged even in severe renal impairment. Dosing adjustment in patients with renal dysfunction is not necessary for anastrozole. We believe that the acute renal failure in our patient was associated with anastrozole. Renal injury due to anastrozole has not been published in the English literature.


CONCLUSIONS
Anastrozole may be the causative factor in patients with sclerosing glomerulonephritis.
Department of Medical Oncology, Medical Faculty, Gaziantep University, and Gaziantep Oncology Hospital, Gaziantep, Turkey.
M Emin
ME
Kalender
Alper
A
Sevinc
Celalettin
C
Camci
H Mehmet
HM
Turk
Metin
M
Karakok
Bulent
B
Akgul
D000368:Aged; D000077384:Anastrozole; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000633:toxicity*; D001284:Atrophy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005923:Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D009570:Nitriles / Q000633:toxicity*; D014230:Triazoles / Q000633:toxicity*
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D000077384:Anastrozole