Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology 30:401-405 (2000)
© 2000 Foundation for Promotion of Cancer Research
Bacterial Meningitis Observed in a Phase I Trial of Vinorelbine, Cisplatin and Thoracic Radiotherapy for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Report of a Case and Discussion on Dose-limiting Toxicity
Medical Oncology Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
Although neutropenia increases the risk of life-threatening infections, bacterial meningitis is rarely encountered as a complication during cancer chemotherapy in adults with a solid tumor. A 66-year-old male with adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung, cT2N3M0, stage IIIB, was enrolled in a phase I trial of chemoradiotherapy and treated with cisplatin 80 mg/m2 (122 mg/body) on day 1, vinorelbine 20 mg/m2 (32 mg/body) on days 1 and 8 and thoracic radiotherapy 30 Gy/15 fractions, beginning on day 2, with dexamethasone administered for antiemesis at a dose of 16 mg on day 1, 8 mg on days 2 and 3, 4 mg on day 4 and 2 mg on day 5. The patient developed headache and fever on day 6 of the second cycle of the treatment and bacterial meningitis was diagnosed based on the findings of consciousness disturbance, an elevated peripheral blood leukocyte count and numerous leukocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid. In spite of the doctor’s delay in establishing the exact diagnosis, the bacterial meningitis in this case was successfully treated with intensive antibiotic therapy. This life-threatening complication, equivalent to a grade 4 non-hematological adverse reaction, was not counted as dose-limiting toxicity in the current phase I trial, because there are only a few reports of bacterial meningitis associated with cancer chemotherapy and it developed in this case without any associated decrease in the peripheral blood leukocyte count.
+ For reprints and all correspondence: Ikuo Sekine, Medical Oncology Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tsukiji 1–1, Chuo-ku 5-chome, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan. E-mail: isekine@gan2.ncc.go.jp