Alternate-day Treatment with Crizotinib for Drug-induced Esophagitis and Liver Damage in a Patient with EML4-ALK Fusion Gene-positive Lung Adenocarcinoma

Abstract A 44-year-old woman who was diagnosed with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive lung adenocarcinoma developed brain metastases, multiple spinal metastases and meningeal dissemination. Crizotinib was administered after the failure of first-line chemotherapy. Esophagitis and liver damage were induced by the twice-daily administration of crizotinib at 250 mg and 200 mg, respectively. The alternate-day administration of crizotinib (250 mg, twice daily) was able to control disease progression without any adverse effects for several months. We evaluated the relationship between the serum concentration of crizotinib and the development of esophagitis and liver damage. The alternate-day administration of crizotinib is one of the strategies for managing the severe toxicity of crizotinib.