TY - JOUR
T1 - Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in cancer patients at a tertiary care cancer center in Japan
AU - Fujita, Takahiro
AU - Endo, Masahiro
AU - Gu, Yoshiaki
AU - Sato, Tomoaki
AU - Ohmagari, Norio
PY - 2014/3
Y1 - 2014/3
N2 - The characteristics of active tuberculosis in cancer patients in Japan and the effects of this infection on cancer treatment have not yet been clarified. The records of all consecutive patients with microbiologically documented Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection diagnosed between September 2002 and March 2008 at Shizuoka cancer center (a 557-bed tertiary care cancer center in Japan) were reviewed. There were 24 cancer patients with active tuberculosis during the study period. Of these, 23 had solidorgan tumors, and the most common site of the underlying malignancy was the lung. Most of the patients had pulmonary tuberculosis. Among 15 patients followed up for more than 2 months prior to the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, 12 had healed scars suggestive of old tuberculosis lesions, as shown by chest imaging obtained at the time of the initial evaluation. Discontinuation of cancer therapy or more than a month's delay in surgery occurred in 10 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Development of active tuberculosis can delay cancer treatment in Japanese centers. Cancer patients with scars suggestive of old tuberculosis disease lesions as shown by chest imaging should be screened for active tuberculosis and carefully followed up. In some cases, prophylactic treatment should be considered.
AB - The characteristics of active tuberculosis in cancer patients in Japan and the effects of this infection on cancer treatment have not yet been clarified. The records of all consecutive patients with microbiologically documented Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection diagnosed between September 2002 and March 2008 at Shizuoka cancer center (a 557-bed tertiary care cancer center in Japan) were reviewed. There were 24 cancer patients with active tuberculosis during the study period. Of these, 23 had solidorgan tumors, and the most common site of the underlying malignancy was the lung. Most of the patients had pulmonary tuberculosis. Among 15 patients followed up for more than 2 months prior to the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, 12 had healed scars suggestive of old tuberculosis lesions, as shown by chest imaging obtained at the time of the initial evaluation. Discontinuation of cancer therapy or more than a month's delay in surgery occurred in 10 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Development of active tuberculosis can delay cancer treatment in Japanese centers. Cancer patients with scars suggestive of old tuberculosis disease lesions as shown by chest imaging should be screened for active tuberculosis and carefully followed up. In some cases, prophylactic treatment should be considered.
KW - Anti-tumor agents
KW - Cancer
KW - Immunocompromised host
KW - Tuberculosis
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jiac.2013.11.005
DO - 10.1016/j.jiac.2013.11.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 24462447
AN - SCOPUS:84903712521
VL - 20
SP - 213
EP - 216
JO - Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy
JF - Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy
SN - 1341-321X
IS - 3
ER -