Entrectinib-Induced Heart Failure in a Patient With Metastatic Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report

Abstract

Entrectinib is a recently approved multikinase inhibitor to treat advanced c-ros oncogene1 (ROS1) positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although molecular targeted therapy is generally well tolerated, cardiovascular adverse events have been described in recent years. We report a case of NSCLC with ROS1 rearrangement where the patient developed drug-induced heart failure after receiving entrectinib.

A 74-year-old non-smoker female patient was diagnosed with stage IVB lung adenocarcinoma with ROS-1 positive and right breast cancer stage I. We started on entrectinib as the first-line therapy for lung cancer. Five days after, she developed oral dysesthesia and blood creatinine increased. These findings gradually worsened, so we temporarily discontinued entrectinib. After withholding the drug for 14 days, these findings improved, and we resumed entrectinib at a reduced dose. On day 19 of the reduced entrectinib dose, she presented to the outpatient with shortness of breath and bilateral lower extremity edema, accompanied by respiratory failure. Laboratory evaluation revealed elevated N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP), troponin I, creatine kinase (CK), and C reactive protein (CRP), and transthoracic echocardiogram showed congestive heart failure (CHF) with a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). She did not complain of chest pain and fever, so we did not consider ischemic heart disease and viral myocarditis in the initial evaluation. There was no other causative cause of CHF. Therefore, we suspected entrectinib-related heart failure. Her symptoms improved and she recovered her cardiac function to baseline within a week of discontinuation of entrectinib and standard heart failure treatment. She developed heart failure after a one-step dose reduction and was prone to cardiotoxicity due to entrectinib. Considering that she could be treated with crizotinib, we decided discontinuation of entrectinib permanently. This case report highlights the potential cardiotoxicity of entrectinib and suggests the need for close monitoring of the cardiac functions of patients receiving entrectinib.