acyclovir and Breast-Neoplasms

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality amongst women. One of the most common chemotherapeutic agents used to treat breast cancer, anthracyclines, are associated with anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity (ACIC). The aim of this meta-analysis was to quantify the predictive performance of biomarkers for early ACIC presentation in the breast cancer population.. Five databases were searched from inception to 1 January, 2022. Studies reporting the association between worsening left ventricular ejection fraction and biomarker level change were included. Overall, study heterogeneity varied between I. Of 1458 records screened, four observational studies involving 1167 patients, with a low risk of bias, were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Doubling of growth differentiation factor 15 and Galectin-3 levels was associated with an increased risk of early ACIC, hazard ratio 3.74 (95% confidence interval 2.68-5.24) and hazard ratio 4.25 (95% confidence interval 3.1-5.18), respectively. Biomarker interactome analysis identified two putative ACIC biomarkers, neuropilin-1 and complement factor H.. This is the first meta-analysis quantifying the association of biomarkers and early ACIC presentation in the breast cancer population. This may be of clinical relevance in the timely identification of patients at high risk of ACIC, allowing for closer monitoring and chemotherapy adjustments.

Topics: Acyclovir; Anthracyclines; Biomarkers; Breast Neoplasms; Cardiotoxicity; Female; Galectin 3; Growth Differentiation Factor 15; Humans; Observational Studies as Topic; Placenta Growth Factor; Stroke Volume; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left; Ventricular Function, Left

A young woman presented with worsening bilateral periareolar mastitis associated with skin necrosis and delayed vesical formation after oral nipple manipulation by her sexual partner. After multiple failed antibiotic regimens, she was diagnosed with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection. This case demonstrates an uncommon etiology of breast mastitis. We highlight the importance of a timely diagnosis and early administration of antiviral therapy.

Topics: Acyclovir; Adult; Antiviral Agents; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Herpes Simplex; Herpesvirus 1, Human; Humans; Mastitis

Topics: Acyclovir; Aged; Antiviral Agents; Breast Neoplasms; Diagnosis, Differential; Exanthema; Facial Dermatoses; Female; Forehead; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Lung Neoplasms; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary

Non-alphabetical hepatitis (Epstein Barr virus -EBV-, cytomegalovirus -CMV-, Herpes simplex virus -HSV-, varicella zoster virus -VZV-etc.) may be a mode of revelation of several underlying chronic liver diseases including autoimmune hepatitis (HAI). We report a peculiar case of acute EBV hepatitis, revealing type I autoimmune hepatitis confirmed by liver biopsy through puncture in a female patient on breast cancer treatment. The study involved a 29-year-old female patient on breast cancer treatment scheduled to receive radiotherapy and chemotherapy, hospitalized for acute severe hepatitis (fever with jaundice, hypertransaminasemia (normal AST level 47 and normal ALT level 23 and prothrombin activity 25%). The test for viral hepatitis A, B, C, and E was negative and subhepatic veins were free on doppler. Non-alphabetical hepatitis was suspected based on fever with jaundice. Patient's assessment showed recent EBV infection diagnosed on the basis of the presence of anti-VAC IgM/G and anti-EBNA Ab IgG. The patient received acyclovir for 10 days. Progression was marked by ascites. The diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis was retained based on laboratory tests (gamma peak on serum protein electrophoresis and positive anti-nuclear antibodies) and histological examination. Clinical-biological remission was obtained with corticosteroid therapy. EBV infections should be investigated in immunocompromised patients with fever in the clinical course of acute hepatitis. Practitioners should also suspect it in patients with persistent cytolysis following an infectious episode in order to prevent the occurrence of autoimmune hepatitis, in particular in female patients, in a context of self-immunity and negative serological tests for alphabetical viral hepatitis.

Topics: Acute Disease; Acyclovir; Adult; Antiviral Agents; Ascites; Breast Neoplasms; Disease Progression; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections; Female; Glucocorticoids; Hepatitis, Autoimmune; Hepatitis, Viral, Human; Humans; Severity of Illness Index

Topics: Acyclovir; Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; Breast Neoplasms; Capecitabine; Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant; Female; gamma-Globulins; Humans; Lymph Node Excision; Mastectomy, Segmental; Radiodermatitis; Skin

Disseminated herpes zoster is defined as the presence of more than 20 lesions outside the dermatome. This unusual presentation is more common in immunosuppressed patients. Complications such as hepatitis, encephalitis, and pneumonitis are more likely in individuals with disseminated varicella zoster virus infection.A 63-year-old woman being treated for breast cancer developed multiple pustules and vesicles days after starting doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy. Ten individual lesions appeared on her chest, abdomen, back, and leg. Non-dermatomal disseminated herpes zoster was suspected. She was treated with oral antiviral therapy, as well as with oral and topical antibiotics. Varicella zoster virus infection was confirmed by direct fluorescent antibody staining. After one month, her skin lesions had resolved and she resumed chemotherapy.In a setting of immunosuppression, the rare presentation of disseminated herpes zoster without dermatome should be considered. Appropriate antiviral therapy should be administered while waiting for confirmation of the diagnosis, so as to reduce the risk of visceral dissemination of the varicella zoster virus infection.

Topics: Acyclovir; Antiviral Agents; Breast Neoplasms; Female; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Middle Aged; Valacyclovir; Valine

Acyclovir is a synthetic guanosine analog, which is a potent and highly selective inhibitor of the DNA polymerases of several herpes viruses. Acyclovir is known as a relatively safe drug with few significant adverse effects, of which nephrotoxicity seems to be the most dreaded one. On the other hand, inflammation and phlebitis at the injection site have been reported to be the most frequent side effects of intravenous acyclovir administration. Although exceptionally rare, there have been case reports of bullous eruption occurring after intravenous acyclovir therapy, a similar of which we have also observed. Here, we present a case of localized bullous eruption and phlebitis associated with intravenous acyclovir treatment in a patient with metastatic breast cancer. Our case distinctively demonstrated two consequential juxtaposing vesiculobullous lesions and phlebitis manifesting as erythema along the course of a vein after intravenous acyclovir injection. We emphasize this hardly known side effect and importance of early recognition and appropriate management of unpredictable side effects of widely used medications.

Topics: Acyclovir; Adult; Antiviral Agents; Blister; Breast Neoplasms; Drug Eruptions; Female; Herpes Zoster; Humans; Injections, Intravenous

Herpes zoster, commonly called shingles, is a disease that results from the reactivation of varicella zoster virus. Local trauma has been reported as a precipitant for reactivation, but this condition is rarely seen localized to a fresh surgical incision. We present the case of a patient who developed shingles overlying the incision site of a recently buried central venous access port, illustrating the need to consider this diagnosis as a unique imposter of localized infection or reaction at sites of recent procedural trauma.

Topics: Acyclovir; Adult; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Breast Neoplasms; Catheter-Related Infections; Central Venous Catheters; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Herpes Zoster; Herpesvirus 3, Human; Humans; Treatment Outcome; Valacyclovir; Valine

The number needed to treat (NNT) is a simple measure of a treatment's impact, increasingly reported in randomized trials and observational studies. Its calculation in studies involving varying follow-up times or recurrent outcomes has been criticized. We discuss the NNT in these contexts, illustrating using several published studies. The computation of the NNT is founded on the cumulative incidence of the outcome. Instead, several published studies use simple proportions that do not account for varying follow-up times, or use incidence rates per person-time. We show that these approaches can lead to erroneous values of the NNT and misleading interpretations. For example, after converting the incidence rate to a cumulative incidence, we show that a trial reporting a NNT of 4 "to prevent one exacerbation in 1 year" should have reported a NNT of 9. A survey of all papers reporting NNT, published in four major medical journals in 2009, found that 6 out of all 10 papers involving varying follow-up times did not correctly estimate the NNT. As the "number needed to treat" becomes increasingly used in complex studies and in the comparative effectiveness of therapies, its accurate estimation and interpretation become crucial to avoid erroneous clinical and public health decisions.

Topics: Acyclovir; Antineoplastic Agents; Antiviral Agents; Breast Neoplasms; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Diphosphonates; Evidence-Based Medicine; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Herpes Simplex; Humans; Imidazoles; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Life Tables; Periodicals as Topic; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Research Design; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Sample Size; Survival Rate; Time Factors; Valacyclovir; Valine; Zoledronic Acid

The extent and duration of neutropenia and the characteristics of the underlying disease are determinant factors for the prognosis of febrile syndromes. Despite the fact that traditionally the peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) were considered to cause high risk neutropenia, in all probability the neutropenia observed in the PBSCT in some solid tumours could be considered moderate risk. Febrile episodes in patients with these characteristics were evaluated.. We prospectively analysed 132 autologus PBSCT in patients with breast cancer (1994-1999). Conditioning regime: STAMP V. Antibacterial prophylaxis: ofloxacin (400 mg/12 hrs PO). Classification of the febrile syndrome: bacteremia, microbiologically documented infection withut bacteremia, clinical infection and a fever of unknown origin.. 122 patients had a fever (92%), mean age: 45 years (range: 27-61). There were 32 (26%) bacteremias, 13 (11%) microbiologically documented infections without bacteremia and 54 (44%) clinical infections. The mean number of days with a neutrophil count of <1x109/1 was 14 (range: 11-20). In the 74 patients (61%) that had a granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), the mean number of days to reach a 0,5x109/I neutrophil count (7,6) and the average number of days in hospital (26) were significantly less. There was a main infectious point in 80 patients (65%): the most frequent being oropharynx in 33 cases (46%) and digestive in 29 cases (41%). 48 gram negative (GN) 29 gram positive (GP) bacteria were isolated (71% of the GN's were resistant to ofloxacin). Between 1997-1999 the GN/GP ratio was 2,3. There were no deaths related to the infection.. Given the excellent evolution of our patients we can consider their neutropenia to be moderate or low risk, and they are a long way from the death rates caused by infections published by other types of hemopoietic transplants. The predominance of GN over the last few years and their limited sensitivity to quinolones means that their prophylactic use in these patients should be reconsidered.

Topics: Acyclovir; Adult; Anti-Infective Agents; Antifungal Agents; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Antiviral Agents; Bacteremia; Bacterial Infections; Breast Neoplasms; Carboplatin; Combined Modality Therapy; Cyclophosphamide; Drug Resistance; Female; Fever; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Incidence; Infection Control; Middle Aged; Neutropenia; Ofloxacin; Premedication; Prospective Studies; Transplantation Conditioning; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination

We report a rare adult case of chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. A 54-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with intermittent fever, weight loss, hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia and liver disturbance. In serological tests for EBV, anti-virus capsid antigen (VCA)-IgG antibody and anti-early antigen (EA)-IgG antibody were markedly elevated and anti-EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA) antibody was negative. EBV genome was detected in the bone marrow nucleated cells and peripheral lymphocytes by Southern blot hybridization. The patient developed left facial edema, bilateral breast tumor and pneumonia. She died one year after admission in spite of the administration of prednisolone, interferon and acyclovir.

Topics: Acyclovir; Antigens, Viral; Blotting, Southern; Breast Neoplasms; Capsid Proteins; Chronic Disease; DNA-Binding Proteins; Edema; Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; Female; Hepatitis; Herpesviridae Infections; Herpesvirus 4, Human; Humans; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin M; Interferon-alpha; Liver; Middle Aged; Prednisolone

Topics: Acyclovir; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Agranulocytosis; Bacterial Infections; Breast Neoplasms; Candidiasis; Female; Herpes Zoster; Hodgkin Disease; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Neutropenia

Topics: Acyclovir; Adult; Aged; Breast Neoplasms; Drug Evaluation; Herpesviridae Infections; Hodgkin Disease; Humans; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin; Middle Aged

Opportunistic viral infections were investigated in 156 adult patients admitted over one year to a medical oncology service: 35% of the total group and 65% of those with acute leukaemia experienced viral infections, 79% of which were with viruses of the herpes group. Surprisingly few enteric viruses were recovered. Reactivation of herpes simplex virus in the brains of these immunosuppressed patients was suggested by the demonstration by nucleic acid hybridization of herpes simplex virus DNA sequences in neurones and endothelial cells in patients with evidence of past infection with virus. Acyclovir was effective in therapy and prophylaxis. Twenty-three strains from 7 patients were tested for sensitivity to this antiviral: in 3 instances clinical resistance was observed but the strains were fully sensitive in vitro, as were all other strains tested.

Topics: Acyclovir; Adult; Brain; Breast Neoplasms; Bronchial Neoplasms; DNA, Viral; Herpes Simplex; Humans; Immunosuppression Therapy; Leukemia, Lymphoid; Leukemia, Myeloid; Lymphoma; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Simplexvirus; Virus Diseases