Fournier's gangrene as a possible side effect of bevacizumab therapy for resected colorectal cancer.

Eric O Gamboa, Esther H Rehmus, Nairmeen Haller

Journal: Clinical colorectal cancer 2010;9(1):55-8

PMID: 20100690

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Bevacizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in combination with fluorouracil (FU)-based chemotherapy for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Its mechanism of action is inhibition of tumor angiogenesis by neutralizing vascular endothelial growth factor. Adverse events resulting from its use include gastrointestinal perforation, wound-healing complications, hemorrhage, and arterial thromboembolism. We present a case of a 67-year-old man who developed Fournier's gangrene during treatment with bevacizumab 4 months after completing mFOLFOX6 (5-FU/leucovorin/oxaliplatin) for CRC. Other than bevacizumab, the patient had no medications and had no medical conditions that would predispose to Fournier's gangrene.

Address: Department of Medicine, St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10019, USA. [email protected]

DOI: 10.3816/CCC.2010.n.008

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MeSH Terms: Aged, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized, Antineoplastic Agents, Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols, Bevacizumab, Buttocks, Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic, Colorectal Neoplasms, Fluorouracil, Fournier Gangrene, Humans, Leucovorin, Male, Organoplatinum Compounds, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Scrotum