CASE REPORT: We report on a young female patient suffering from anal-cancer who received simultaneous radiochemotherapy and developed a "hibernating myocardium" during continuous infusion of 5-FU. CONCLUSION: In literature the incidence of cardiac complications caused by 5-FU-therapy is found to be between 1% and 10%. Patients with coronary heart disease have a four-fold higher risk. Possible pathogenic mechanisms are spasm of coronary artery, direct cardiotoxicity, immunological reactions and disturbance of the coagulation system.
CASE REPORT: We report on a young female patient suffering from anal-cancer who received simultaneous radiochemotherapy and developed a "hibernating myocardium" during continuous infusion of 5-FU. CONCLUSION: In literature the incidence of cardiac complications caused by 5-FU-therapy is found to be between 1% and 10%. Patients with coronary heart disease have a four-fold higher risk. Possible pathogenic mechanisms are spasm of coronary artery, direct cardiotoxicity, immunological reactions and disturbance of the coagulation system.