Toxic cardiomyopathy related to vandetanib

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) accounts for 3–4% of all malignant thyroid neoplasias. Vandetanib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) is the only drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic MTC.

Scheffel et al. report a case of patient who presented a favourable response to vandetanib treatment but after 14 months of therapy,  developed a fatal cardiac failure. Postmortem heart examination indicated drug-induced cardiotoxicity.

Based on the present case, the authors recommend that until more knowledge on the mechanisms associated with TKI-induced cardiotoxicity is gathered, one should consider a close monitoring of signs of coronary heart failure or myocardium damage in patients on TKI therapy.

Read full article at Scheffel et al (2013) European Journal of Endocrinology 168 K51-K54, DOI: 10.1530/EJE-13-0015.