Favorable outcome of gemcitabine-induced respiratory distress syndrome

Gemcitabine, a deoxycytidine analog, is used to treat solid tumors, like no n-small-cell lung carcinoma. The most commonly reported adverse effects are reversible and generally not fatal, However, among the five cases of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to gemcitabine treatment re ported since 1997, four were fatal despite corticosteroid therapy, We descr ibe here a patient who received gemcitabine for bronchial epidermoid carcin oma and developed ARDS which spontaneously regressed after gemcitabine with drawal.