Dantron Gastrointestinal cancer?: case ~ report

Acute lower abdominal pain prompted the admission of an 18-year­old woman , who had experienced Intermittent colicky pain , constipation and vomiting for several weeks . A small bowel tumour in the distal ileum was revealed by an emergency laparotomy. The tumour was resected and the patient recovered .

Pathological examination showed a haemorrhagic, necrotic tumour forming a polypoid mass projecting into the lumen of the bowel. Chemotherapy was scheduled , but the tumour progressed over 1 week requiring Immediate chemotherapy . The patient received cyclophosphamide, adnamycin and vincristine with an excellent response , and clinical remission was achieved after 6 cycles . However, rapid regrowth occurred and an urgent laparotomy was required to remove deposits In the transverse colon and small bowel. The disease continued to progress with failure to respond to chemotherapy 1 month later. The patient died 10 months after presentation from uncontrolled intra-abdominal sarcoma.

The patient had received oral dantron (Dorbanex') 5ml at night to treat severe constipation between the ages of 14 months and 6 years with Intermittent doses to treat constipation throughout the rest of her life.

Although there was insufficient evidence to suggest a relationship , the authors are currently conducting " , , a pilot survey of young patients with gastrointestinal tumours to see if there is any further evidence of an association between danthron [dantronJ use and bowel cancer risk ',

Palel PM . Selby PJ Deacon J Chilvers C . McElwain T J Anlhraqulnone laxal lves and human cancer an assoClalion In one case Postgraduate Medical Journal 65 216·217 Apr 1989 ,3<,