Clostridium difficile infection associated with antineoplastic chemotherapy: a review. 1993

A Anand, and A E Glatt
Department of Medicine, Nassau County Medical Center, East Meadow, New York.

Colitis and infection due to Clostridium difficile have been reported in patients receiving antineoplastic chemotherapy for cancer without prior antibiotic treatment. Chemotherapeutic agents can alter the normal bowel flora and cause extensive intestinal inflammatory changes, potentiating both the growth of C. difficile and its production of toxin. This review includes all 23 known reported cases of C. difficile infection associated with antineoplastic chemotherapy and examines the pathogenesis, clinical features, and management of this condition. Chemotherapy-associated C. difficile colitis has been documented in association with a variety of neoplasms. Various classes of antineoplastic agents have been incriminated, methotrexate most commonly. A spectrum of illness ranging from mild to fulminant has been reported. Symptoms, management, and outcome have appeared to be no different than for antibiotic-associated cases, but the available data are limited. Chemotherapy-associated infection with C. difficile may be underreported because it is not suspected and/or because frequent concomitant use of antibiotics masks its true incidence. C. difficile infection should be kept in mind whenever a patient undergoing antineoplastic chemotherapy develops diarrhea. Prompt, appropriate diagnostic testing and early treatment may avert morbidity and death.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007422 Intestines The section of the alimentary canal from the STOMACH to the ANAL CANAL. It includes the LARGE INTESTINE and SMALL INTESTINE. Intestine
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009369 Neoplasms New abnormal growth of tissue. Malignant neoplasms show a greater degree of anaplasia and have the properties of invasion and metastasis, compared to benign neoplasms. Benign Neoplasm,Cancer,Malignant Neoplasm,Tumor,Tumors,Benign Neoplasms,Malignancy,Malignant Neoplasms,Neoplasia,Neoplasm,Neoplasms, Benign,Cancers,Malignancies,Neoplasias,Neoplasm, Benign,Neoplasm, Malignant,Neoplasms, Malignant
D003967 Diarrhea An increased liquidity or decreased consistency of FECES, such as running stool. Fecal consistency is related to the ratio of water-holding capacity of insoluble solids to total water, rather than the amount of water present. Diarrhea is not hyperdefecation or increased fecal weight. Diarrheas
D004761 Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous An acute inflammation of the INTESTINAL MUCOSA that is characterized by the presence of pseudomembranes or plaques in the SMALL INTESTINE (pseudomembranous enteritis) and the LARGE INTESTINE (pseudomembranous colitis). It is commonly associated with antibiotic therapy and CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE colonization. Antibiotic-Associated Colitis,Clostridium Enterocolitis,Colitis, Pseudomembranous,Enteritis, Pseudomembranous,Pseudomembranous Colitis,Pseudomembranous Enteritis,Pseudomembranous Enterocolitis,Antibiotic Associated Colitis,Colitis, Antibiotic-Associated
D005260 Female Females
D006224 Cricetinae A subfamily in the family MURIDAE, comprising the hamsters. Four of the more common genera are Cricetus, CRICETULUS; MESOCRICETUS; and PHODOPUS. Cricetus,Hamsters,Hamster
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults

Related Publications

A Anand, and A E Glatt
May 2001, Singapore medical journal,
A Anand, and A E Glatt
June 2010, Journal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy,
A Anand, and A E Glatt
January 2010, Recent patents on anti-infective drug discovery,
A Anand, and A E Glatt
February 1984, European journal of clinical microbiology,
A Anand, and A E Glatt
February 1982, Archives of internal medicine,
A Anand, and A E Glatt
February 1989, Annals of internal medicine,
A Anand, and A E Glatt
July 2019, European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology,
A Anand, and A E Glatt
August 2011, Critical reviews in microbiology,
A Anand, and A E Glatt
March 2002, Tennessee medicine : journal of the Tennessee Medical Association,
Copied contents to your clipboard!