title: Acute and fatal thrombocytopenic thrombotic purpura after a single dose of pemetrexed.
abstract: METHODS
  Thrombocytopenic thrombotic purpura (TTP), a life-threatening event consisting of disseminated vascular thrombosis, has never been described before as a possible side effect of the anticancer drug pemetrexed. A 70 years old patient affected by a poorly differentiated non small cell lung cancer, subjected to his first pemetrexed administration, developed an acute thrombocytopenic thrombotic purpura, fatal in a few hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pemetrexed can cause TTP. Clinicians have to be alert for the rapid onset and aggressiveness of this possible side effect. It is difficult to recognise the first signs and symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Ospedale San Giovanni Bosco, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alabiso
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baratelli
authors.forename: Maria Pia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Brizzi
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bitossi
authors.forename: Azzurra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ottone
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tampellini
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005971:Glutamates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006147:Guanine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D011697:Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005971:Glutamates; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D006147:Guanine