We report the case that a 41-year-old male treated for testicular seminoma with combination chemotherapy that included bleomycin, developed life threatening pulmonary fibrosis. After orchiectomy, he completed four cycles of chemotherapy with bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplan. He developed a dry cough and progressive breathlessness and had bilateral fine inspiratory crackles on auscultation. Chest radiography showed bilateral interstitial infiltration and lung function tests confirmed a restrictive defect. Transbronchial biopsy specimens showed intersititial fibrosis. We thought that bleomycin lung toxicity was the likely diagnosis and he had clinical and radiographic improvement following prednisolone medication. This report suggests that bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis may be reversible if treated aggressively. We report a case of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis with a review of the literature.
Adult ; Auscultation ; Biopsy ; Bleomycin ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Etoposide ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Orchiectomy ; Prednisolone* ; Pulmonary Fibrosis* ; Radiography ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Respiratory Sounds ; Seminoma ; Thorax