Acute myocardial infarction in an elderly patient treated for lung cancer

Abstract

There is a growing number of elderly patients, so it is necessary to create new standards of oncologic care for such individuals in order to provide them with the best possible treatment. An elderly woman was treated for locally advanced small-cell lung cancer. Due to the suspicion of coronary disease, arterial hypertension and age, anti-cancer treatment with carboplatin and etoposide was recommended. When carboplatin infusion came to a stop, signs of myocardial infarction in ECG as well as elevated levels of troponin I were reported. Originally, non-invasive treatment was introduced, but several days later three DES stents were placed in coronary arteries. An attempt was made to treat the patient with cisplatin and etoposide, after which respiratory failure, tumor lysis syndrome and pancytopenia occurred. That is why chemotherapy was discontinued at the time. The patient’s tumor area and brain was irradiated. 16 months later, she is still alive without signs of disease progression. New oncologic standards should be elaborated in order to ensure appropriate treatment for elderly patients.