Volume : 12, Issue : 08, August- 2025
Title:
A CASE OF BEVACIZUMAB-INDUCED BOWEL PERFORATION
Authors :
Saravanagiri A,Saravanan M, Adarsh.S.Kumar,Girishadithya A, Dharun bala L, Nishanth K K, Nizamuddin
Abstract :
Background: Bevacizumab is an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monoclonal antibody increasingly used for treating advanced malignancies. While it may improve survival outcomes, it carries the risk of rare complications of serious nature-including gastrointestinal (GI) perforations, which always have high morbidity and mortality risks.
Case Presentation: We are reporting an interesting clinical presentation of a 58-year-old male with metastatic colorectal cancer who developed acute abdominal pain after having undergone multiple cycles of bevacizumab therapy. The patient was found to have abdominal tenderness along with guarding and signs of peritonitis on examination. Leukocytosis was found on investigations, while contrast CT (CECT) abdomen confirmed pneumoperitoneum secondary to bowel perforation.
Management: Emergency exploratory laparotomy was performed with correction of the perforated segment, peritoneal lavage, and drainage. Bevacizumab was not resumed anymore, and the patient was kept under intensive care with the intravenous antibiotic regimen, fluid management, and analgesics. The patient improved over time and was able to tolerate oral feeding on the sixth day, upon which she was discharged, and oncological follow-up was planned with supportive care.
Conclusion: This case illustrates the rare but deadly potential of bevacizumab-induced bowel perforation. Early recognition of symptoms, prompt diagnostic evaluation, and surgical intervention are the key factors in the favorable outcome of this life-threatening complication. Hence, patient counseling regarding this complication was suggested, and in at-risk populations, the benefits of bevacizumab must be well weighed against the risk of this devastating complication.
Keywords: Bevacizumab, bowel perforation, colorectal cancer, VEGF inhibitor, case report
Cite This Article:
Please cite this article in press Saravanagiri A et al A Case Of Bevacizumab-Induced Bowel Perforation., Indo Am. J. P. Sci, 2025; 12(08).
Number of Downloads : 10
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