title: Pulmonary toxicity related to systemic treatment of nonsmall cell lung cancer.
abstract: Physicians who are responsible for the delivery of systemic treatment in lung cancer should be aware of the potential risk of drug-induced pulmonary toxicity (DIPT), because such toxicity may develop in the context of a multifactorial clinical condition. First, most patients with lung cancer may suffer from other non-neoplastic, smoking-related lung diseases, such as emphysema and chronic obstructive lung disease, which may generate pathologic changes in lung parenchyma. In addition, lung cancer itself may worsen the respiratory function, inducing atelectasis and lymphangitic carcinomatosis. The superimposed iatrogenic damage may lead to respiratory failure and, sometimes, death. The risk of DIPT from chemotherapeutic agents has been widely examined in the past; and, currently, the potential for lung toxicity has been extended by the introduction of molecular targeted therapies. Because there are no univocal criteria with which to recognize DIPT, the diagnosis often is made by exclusion; consequently, it is hard to establish an early diagnosis. The objective of this review was to describe the major DIPTs associated with antineoplastic agents against nonsmall cell lung cancer to help physicians with this difficult diagnostic challenge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, San Luigi Hospital, Orbassano, Torino, Italy. alice_desanctis@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Sanctis
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Taillade
authors.forename: Stephane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vignot
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Novello
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Conforti
authors.forename: Jean Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Spano
authors.forename: Giorgio Vittorio
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Scagliotti
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khayat
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents