Frontiers in Pediatrics (Feb 2024)

Case Report: Lomustine overdose in a 15-year-old, healthy adolescent—a prescription failure

  • Ole Lindner,
  • Natalia Rotari,
  • Ayami Yoshimi,
  • Charlotte M. Niemeyer,
  • Simone Hettmer

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2024.1339597
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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Lomustine is an oral chemotherapy drug commonly used in pediatric neuro-oncology. We report on a 15-year-old formerly healthy boy, who was erroneously prescribed lomustine instead of an antibiotic for tonsillitis. He subsequently suffered from prolonged bone marrow aplasia with secondary fever in neutropenia and ubiquitous bleeding. Bone marrow regeneration started approximately 7 weeks after lomustine intake. No other permanent organ damage has been detected thus far. Oral chemotherapeutic drugs should only be prescribed by experts and dispensed in the smallest possible pack size.

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