Capecitabine may induce coronary artery vasospasm

Abstract

Capecitabine is a new oral chemotherapeutic agent that is considered highly specific for sensitive tumor cells. We present the case of a patient who, after treatment with capecitabine for colorectal cancer, presented to our hospital with angina pectoris and electrocardiographic changes indicative of myocardial ischemia. The absence of epicardial coronary stenosis on the coronary angiogram ruled out atherosclerotic coronary disease as the cause of ischemia. The occurrence of coronary spasm, although not evident during coronary angiography, seems to be a possible explanation of the patient's symptoms.