TY - JOUR
T1 - Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia in Patients With Primary Brain Tumors
AU - Henson, John W.
AU - Jalaj, Jai K.
AU - Walker, Russell W.
AU - Stover, Diane E.
AU - Fels, Anna O.S.
PY - 1991/4
Y1 - 1991/4
N2 - All histologically documented episodes of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in adult patients with primary brain tumors treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, since 1981, were retrospectively reviewed. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was histologically documented 11 times in 10 patients. During the same 8-year interval, approximately 587 adults were seen at the center for a brain tumor, 90% of whom received ongoing therapy. Therefore, in at least 1.7% (10/587) of our patients with brain tumors, P carinii pneumonia developed. The median duration of dexamethasone therapy at the onset of P carinii pneumonia symptoms was 2.75 months. Symptoms began during tapering of steroid therapy in eight episodes. Bronchoscopy was diagnostic in the eight cases in which it was performed. Four episodes (40%) were fatal. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis may be indicated in some patients with brain tumors, especially during tapering of steroid therapy.
AB - All histologically documented episodes of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in adult patients with primary brain tumors treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, since 1981, were retrospectively reviewed. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was histologically documented 11 times in 10 patients. During the same 8-year interval, approximately 587 adults were seen at the center for a brain tumor, 90% of whom received ongoing therapy. Therefore, in at least 1.7% (10/587) of our patients with brain tumors, P carinii pneumonia developed. The median duration of dexamethasone therapy at the onset of P carinii pneumonia symptoms was 2.75 months. Symptoms began during tapering of steroid therapy in eight episodes. Bronchoscopy was diagnostic in the eight cases in which it was performed. Four episodes (40%) were fatal. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis may be indicated in some patients with brain tumors, especially during tapering of steroid therapy.
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U2 - 10.1001/archneur.1991.00530160074017
DO - 10.1001/archneur.1991.00530160074017
M3 - Article
C2 - 2012515
AN - SCOPUS:0025761357
SN - 0003-9942
VL - 48
SP - 406
EP - 409
JO - Archives of Neurology
JF - Archives of Neurology
IS - 4
ER -