Probable drug–drug interaction between erlotinib and amiodarone causes severe neurotoxicity in a patient with advanced lung cancer

Drug–drug interactions (DDIs) are of great concern in the treatment of cancer, especially when target therapies, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors, are being used. Here, we report a case of probable DDI between erlotinib and amiodarone leading to severe neurotoxicity. Amiodarone inhibits P-glycoprotein (P-gp), for which erlotinib is a substrate. P-gp is an important drug transporter that is involved in limiting the blood–brain barrier penetration of erlotinib. Clinicians should be aware of emerging data characterizing the effect of the P-gp transport system on drug exposure and its potential for DDI. * Maria López Brunsó and Cristina Toro Blanch contributed equally to the writing of this article. Correspondence to Joaquim Bosch-Barrera, MD, PhD, Servei d'Oncologia, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Hospital Universitari Doctor Josep Trueta, Avda, França s/n, 17007 Girona, Spain Tel: +34 972 225 834; fax: +34 972 217 344; e-mail: jbosch@iconcologia.net Received October 15, 2017 Accepted January 11, 2018 Copyright © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

http://ift.tt/2BiZXd7