Drug- Induced Pneumonitis: A Rare Complication of Imatinib Mesylate Therapy in Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

A Rare Case of Imatinib-Induced Pneumonitis

“…Mesenchymal tumors are the most common benign nonepithelial neoplasms affecting the GI tract [1,4]. GISTs represent a subset of this family and may be found in any portion of the GI tract but are most commonly localized to the stomach and proximal portions of the small intestine.…”

“…GISTs represent a subset of this family and may be found in any portion of the GI tract but are most commonly localized to the stomach and proximal portions of the small intestine. Median age of diagnosis is 66-69 years [4].…”

“…The most common side effects reported in the literature include fluid retention, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, muscle cramps, abdominal pain and rash; however these effects are generally grade 1-2 and tend to improve with prolonged therapy. Congestive heart failure has been noted in 8.2% of patients, while arrhythmias and acute coronary syndromes have also rarely been reported [4]. All toxicities subside with discontinuation of treatment.…”

“…Dyspnoea in particular may be due to pulmonary oedema. It has been postulated that the fluid retention associated with imatinib therapy may be due to prolonged platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) inhibition, which plays a role in the regulation of interstitial fluid homeostasis [4,7].…”

“…Discontinuation due to intolerance is uncommon, affecting approximately 5% of patients [4]. The most frequent side effects observed during therapy include peripheral oedema, pleural or pericardial effusion, ascites, nausea and vomiting, myalgia, diarrhea and skin rash [4,6].…”