Cytomegalovirus Colitis during Dasatinib Treatment for Patients with Hematologic Malignancy: Case Series and Literature Review

• Published in: Infection & chemotherapy Vol. 50; no. 2; pp. 153 - 159
• Main Authors: Choi, Jae-Ki, Cho, Sung-Yeon, Choi, Su-Mi, Kim, Gyo Hui, Lee, Sung-Eun, Lee, Seok, Kim, Dong-Wook, Lee, Dong-Gun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases and Korean Society for Chemotherapy 01.06.2018; 대한감염학회
• Subjects: Case Report; 내과학; Cytomegalovirus; Dasatinib; Colitis
• ISSN: 2093-2340; 2092-6448
• DOI: 10.3947/ic.2018.50.2.153

Dasatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is widely used for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Although the drug has a potent immunosuppressive effect, infectious complications during dasatinib treatment have been reported rarely. We describe five patients who developed cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis during dasatinib treatment, in whom the colitis was initially confused with other causes. The patients, three with chronic myeloid leukemia, and two with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, were diagnosed with CMV colitis based on endoscopic and histologic findings. The patients who examined blood CMV polymerase chain reaction were all positive. The patients received antiviral therapy in the form of either ganciclovir or valganciclovir, and the overall treatment outcome was fair. These cases suggest that physicians should consider the possibility of CMV reactivation when treating diarrhea and/or hematochezia in patients on dasatinib.