Transitory, spontaneously recovering, peripheral facial nerve palsy after vionorelbine administration.
BACKGROUND
Vinorelbine is a semi-synthetic vinca alkaloid that has demonstrated a broad spectrum of activity. It is widely used in non small cell lung cancer.


METHODS
We report the case of a 50 year old man, having stage IV lung carcinoma with a unique cerebral metastasis in the right hemisphere. Focal cerebral radiotherapy was first administrated followed by intravenous chemotherapy associating vinorelbine to cisplatin. He has developed multiple subsequent and transitory episodes of monolateral peripheral facial nerve palsy in the left side during vinorelbine administration. The palsy has completely and spontaneously resolved at a short interval, around twenty minutes, after the end of the drug infusion. Obvious cerebral tumor progression was excluded by means of CT scan; the drug was thereby administrated as scheduled until the end of the treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
We describe an unusual side effect, until now reported in only two cases, having brain-stem gliomas, among English and French literature, dealing with vinorelbine as adjuvant treatment. We discuss possible neurological and oncological implications.
Cherif
Jouda
J
Service de Pneumologie Allergologie, Hôpital La Rabta Bab Saodun 1006, Tunis, Tunisie.
M'hamdi
Samira
S
Osman
Mohamed
M
Mehiri
Nadia
N
Zouaoui
Anissa
A
Zouheir
Souissi
S
Louzir
Bechir
B
Béji
Majed
M
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077235:Vinorelbine
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D014747:Vinblastine; D000077235:Vinorelbine