Cerebrovascular accidents associated with sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Sorafenib is an oral angiogenetic multikinase inhibitor approved in the treatment of renal and hepatocellular carcinoma. Bleeding and venous thrombotic events have been described with angiogenetic agents but cerebrovascular accidents are rarely reported. We report two cases of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who developed a cerebrovascular accident while on sorafenib.

Variant hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) presented with persistent dry cough after receiving oxaliplatin in a pancreatic cancer patient.

Oxaliplatin, a third generation of platinum-based anti-neoplastic agent has been approved for colorectal cancer in both adjuvant and metastatic settings. In addition, oxaliplatin is also indicated for other gastrointestinal malignancies such as metastatic pancreatic cancer in combination with gemcitabine. Its common toxicities include infusional hypersensitivity reaction (HSR), GI symptoms with anorexia/nausea/vomiting, sensory neuropathy and bone marrow suppression.

Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia related with erlotinib skin toxicity in a patient with pancreatic cancer.

Erlotinib, a small-molecule epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor has been approved by FDA for patients with pancreatic cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Skin rash is a well-known side effect related with all EGFR blocking agents. It has been suggested that rash could be used as a surrogate marker for response and possibly be associated with prolonged survival.