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Pneumatosis intestinalis associated with treatment of cancer patients with the vascular growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors sorafenib and sunitinib

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Summary

Recently, pneumatosis intestinalis has been described in patients receiving bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody to VEGF-A. Pneumatosis intestinalis is a condition characterized by subserosal and submucosal gas-filled cysts in the gastrointestinal tract. We report on pneumatosis intestinalis in patients receiving oral anti-VEGF agents. Patients shared the following characteristics: long-term (> 4 months) exposure to anti-VEGF agents, lack of other factors predisposing to pneumatosis intestinalis, and lack of recent surgical intervention. Taken together, these observations suggest that pneumatosis intestinalis is a probable class-effect of anti-VEGF agents.

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Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments of research support for the study: none.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Research on Angiogenesis Inhibitors (CERIA), Université Paris Descartes, AP-HP, Teaching Hospital Cochin, Paris, France

    Romain Coriat, Stanislas Ropert, Olivier Mir, Bertrand Billemont, Stanislas Chaussade, Pierre-Philippe Massault, Benoit Blanchet, Olivier Vignaux & François Goldwasser

  2. Department of Medical Oncology, Teaching Hospital Cochin, Paris, France

    Romain Coriat, Stanislas Ropert, Olivier Mir, Bertrand Billemont & François Goldwasser

  3. Department of Gastroenterology, Teaching Hospital Cochin, Paris, France

    Romain Coriat & Stanislas Chaussade

  4. Department of Surgery, Teaching Hospital Cochin, Paris, France

    Pierre-Philippe Massault

  5. Laboratory of Pharmacology, Teaching Hospital Cochin, Paris, France

    Benoit Blanchet

  6. Department of Radiology, Teaching Hospital Cochin, Paris, France

    Olivier Vignaux

  7. Center for Research on Angiogenesis Inhibitors (CERIA), Medical Oncology Unit, Université Paris Descartes, AP-HP 27, rue du faubourg Saint Jacques F75014, Paris, France

    Romain Coriat

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  1. Romain Coriat
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  2. Stanislas Ropert
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  3. Olivier Mir
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  4. Bertrand Billemont
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  7. Benoit Blanchet
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  8. Olivier Vignaux
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  9. François Goldwasser
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Correspondence to Romain Coriat.

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Coriat, R., Ropert, S., Mir, O. et al. Pneumatosis intestinalis associated with treatment of cancer patients with the vascular growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors sorafenib and sunitinib. Invest New Drugs 29, 1090–1093 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10637-010-9458-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10637-010-9458-7

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