The authors report a case of severe thrombocytopenia during treatment with low doses of aminoglutethimide in a woman with advanced breast cancer. Hematologic toxicity secondary to aminoglutethimide did not seem to be dose-related, and an immunologic mechanism may be postulated. Although the incidence of the side effect is probably low, monitoring of blood counts during the first months of therapy is necessary.
AshburyR.F., BakemeierR.F., FolshE.: Treatment of metastatic breast cancer with aminoglutethimide. Cancer, 47: 1954–1958, 1981.
3.
AusterlitzJ.: Leukopenia associated with aminoglutethimide therapy: A case report. Cancer Treat. Rep., 6: 1879, 1982.
4.
HarrisA.L., DowsettM., SmithI.E.: Endocrine effect of low dose aminoglutethimide alone in advanced postmenopausal breast cancer. Br. J. Cancer, 47: 621–627, 1983.
5.
IngleJ.N., GreenS.J., AhmannD.L.: Progress report on two clinical trials in women with advanced breast cancer. Trial I: Tamoxifen versus tamoxifen plus aminoglutethimide. Trial II: Aminoglutethimide in patients with prior tamoxifen exposure. Cancer Res., 42(Suppl.): 3461s–3467s, 1982.
LawrenceB., SantenR.J., LiptonA.: Pancytopenia induced by aminoglutethimide in the treatment of breast cancer. Cancer Treat. Rep., 62: 1581–1583, 1978.
8.
MartinE.K.: Severe thrombocytopenia following the administration of aminoglutethimide. Conn. Med., 48: 423–424, 1984.
SantenR.J., SamojlikE., LiptonA.: Kinetic, hormonal and clinical studies with aminoglutethimide in breast cancer. Cancer, 39: 2948–2958, 1977.
11.
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12.
SantenR.J., WorgulT.J., LiptonA.: Aminoglutethimide as treatment of postmenopausal women with advanced breast carcinoma. Ann. Intern. Med., 96: 94–101, 1982.
