Drug-Induced interstitial pneumonitis in a case of breast malignancy

Abstract

Drugs used in the treatment of diseases including malignancy are known to cause various lung injuries, including interstitial pneumonitis. With increasing incidence of malignancies and advent of newer and newer chemotherapy and immunological treatments, it is prudent on the part of the pulmonologist to identify such complications at the earliest so that appropriate treatment can be initiated and reduce morbidity and mortality due to such causes. Herewith is presented a case of a patient with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast who developed interstitial pneumonitis after 2 weeks of treatment with docetaxel and trastuzumab and was managed successfully.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• chemotherapy
• docetaxel
• interstitial
• pneumonitis
• trastuzumab