Open AccessFournier's gangrene during lenvatinib treatment: A case report
Author(s) -
Martina Barone,
Giorgio Grani,
Valeria Ramundo,
Tiziana Garritano,
Cosimo Durante,
Rosa Falcone
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
molecular and clinical oncology
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 7
eISSN - 2049-9469
pISSN - 2049-9450
DOI - 10.3892/mco.2020.2031
Subject(s) - lenvatinib , medicine , gangrene , thyroid cancer , bevacizumab , cancer , oncology , surgery , dermatology , chemotherapy
Fournier's gangrene is a rare and severe complication reported in patients with cancer treated with antiangiogenic drugs, most frequently with bevacizumab. The present report describes the case of an 80-year-old man with radioactive iodine-refractory metastatic thyroid cancer treated with lenvatinib (an oral multikinase inhibitor with antiangiogenic properties) who developed Fournier's gangrene in the absence of other known risk factors. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case described during treatment with lenvatinib. The condition was likely due to a perturbation of vascular endothelial cells of the skin due to the inhibition of VEGF/VEGFR signaling. Fournier's gangrene may be a class effect of antiangiogenic treatment that clinicians should be aware of, as early diagnosis and treatment are associated with an improved outcome.