Aplastic anemia as a cause of death in a patient with glioblastoma multiforme treated with temozolomide.
BACKGROUND
Standard treatment of glioblastoma multiforme consists of postoperative radiochemotherapy with temozolomide, followed by a 6-month chemotherapy. Serious hematologic complications are rarely reported.


RESULTS
The authors present the case of a 61-year-old female patient with glioblastoma multiforme treated with external-beam radiation therapy and concomitant temozolomide. After completion of treatment, the patient developed symptoms of serious aplastic anemia that eventually led to death due to prolonged neutro- and thrombocytopenia followed by infectious complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Lethal complications following temozolomide are, per se, extremely rare, however, a total of four other cases of aplastic anemia have been reported in the literature so far.
Kopecký
Jindrich
J
Department of Clinical Oncology and Radiotherapy, Charles University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. kopecjin@fnhk.cz
Priester
Peter
P
Slovácek
Ladislav
L
Petera
Jirí
J
Kopecký
Otakar
O
Macingova
Zuzana
Z
D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality*; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002423:Cause of Death; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016371:Cranial Irradiation; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006474:Hemorrhagic Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D010296:Parietal Lobe; D000077204:Temozolomide
D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D003606:Dacarbazine; D000077204:Temozolomide
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