title: Fulminant hepatitis following chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer.
abstract: A woman in her early 50s was admitted to the intensive care unit with nausea, altered mental status and hepatic failure. She had a history of asymptomatic chronic hepatitis B and recently received chemotherapy for breast cancer. A diagnosis of hepatitis B reactivation (HBR) was made, but unfortunately she died of liver failure. Controversies around testing for hepatitis B prior to giving immunosuppressive treatments and the use of prophylactic antiviral therapy to prevent HBR are discussed.
authors: Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,  USA.
authors: Ali Hakim
authors: AH
authors: Shoushtari
authors: Robert A
authors: RA
authors: Shaw
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000502:physiology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014775:Virus Activation
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents