Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome after a Variety of Combined Chemotherapies Containing Bevacizumab for Metastatic Colon Cancer.

ABSTRACT

A 44-year-old woman with advanced metastatic colon cancer received chemotherapies comprising oxaliplatin and capecitabine (XELOX), irinotecan hydrochloride, leucovorin calcium and fluorouracil irinotecan (FOLFIRI)/panitumumab and mFOLFOX6/bevacizumab. Fifteen months later, she presented with the acute onset of a headache, drowsiness and seizure with a fever and hypertension. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicated bilateral regions of signal hyperintensity in the white matter with spasms of bilateral cerebral arteries apparent on magnetic resonance angiography. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) was diagnosed, and treatments resulted in improvement of the MRI findings, but the patient experienced cerebral infarction and ultimately died of deterioration of cancer on day 26 after the onset of PRES.