Journal Article

Drug-Induced Effects on Erlotinib Metabolism

Goldwasser, François, Blanchet, Benoit, Mir, Olivier

2011

Overview

A woman with lung cancer in whom the usual toxicities from erlotinib did not develop at the standard dose had a tumor response and side effects when the erlotinib dose was increased. Furthermore, the erlotinib dose had to be reduced when fenofibrate was stopped. To the Editor: A 78-year-old nonsmoking woman with a history of depression and dyslipidemia presented with a stage IV lung adenocarcinoma, harboring an activating mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (exon 19 deletion). Erlotinib was started at the recommended dose of 150 mg per day. Her other medications included escitalopram (15 mg per day), alprazolam (0.5 mg three times a day), and fenofibrate (200 mg per day). Two months later, progressive disease with chest pain developed, but neither diarrhea nor skin rash, both expected side effects of erlotinib, was observed. The plasma trough concentration for erlotinib, determined with . . .

• Publisher: Massachusetts Medical Society
• Subject: Adenocarcinoma - drug therapy / Aged / Disease Progression / Drug dosages / Erlotinib Hydrochloride / Female / Fenofibrate / Humans / Lung cancer / Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy / Metabolism / Mutation / Patients / Polymorphism, Genetic / Protein Kinase Inhibitors - administration & dosage / Protein Kinase Inhibitors - blood / Quinazolines - administration & dosage / Quinazolines - blood / Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor - genetics