Coronary Plaque Erosion After Abemaciclib Treatment Onset: An Unknown Side Effect?

The current paper describes a 72-year-old woman that suffered an acute myocardial infarction due to plaque erosion 2 weeks after abemacicilb treatment onset due to metastatic recidivate breast cancer. Abemaciclib is a cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitor that has recently demonstrated efficacy and safety in advanced breast cancer. Of major concern, however, reported thromboembolic rates in randomized clinical trials testing this drug range from 0.6% to 5%. In the best of our knowledge this is the first thrombotic coronary side effect ever reported. We suggest that a treatment that increases thromboembolic risk, such abemaciclib, may have triggered PE in our predisposing woman patient, fifteen days after abemaciclib initiation. New molecules are promising in cancer treatment; however, care must be paid to their potential cardiotoxic effects.

Publication History

Received: 07 November 2020

Accepted after revision: 27 November 2020

Publication Date:
01 December 2020 (online)