PACLITAXEL (TAXOL(R))-ASSOCIATED JUNCTIONAL TACHYCARDIA

We report the first case of junctional tachycardia in a patient treate d with paclitaxel. A Ga-year-old woman with advanced breast cancer rec eived palliative chemotherapy with 22.5 mg/m(2)/day paclitaxel over a 7 day continuous infusion as part of an investigational regimen. Altho ugh the patient had no previous or current history of cardiac disease, she developed severe symptomatic tachycardia, which occurred toward t he end of the second and third courses. Anti-arrythmic medication was prescribed and electrocardiographic records identified electric patter ns of junctional tachycardia. Given both the physiopathology of arryth mic disorders and pharmacokinetics of the patient, this case report su pports the hypothesis that automatic junctional rhythm after severe as ymptomatic conduction block Father than direct primacy toxicity on myo cytes caused this toxicity.