Clubbing and hypertrophic osteoarthropathy in two patients taking long-term bevacizumab for metastatic colorectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The authors report two cases of young patients who developed clubbing and hypertrophic osteoarthropathy in one case or lung diffusion disorder in the second, after a long-term use of bevacizumab plus chemotherapy in a palliative setting of metastatic colorectal cancer. DISCUSSION: We propose that patients on long-term bevacizumab be examined for clubbing and undergo respiratory function tests and that this would be studied prospectively before beginning trials in evaluating this monoclonal antibody given for 2 years in an adjuvant setting.