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Japanese Society of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine, 6(46), p. 311-313, 2007

DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.46.6246

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Failure of Treatment with Anti-VEGF Monoclonal Antibody for Long-standing POEMS Syndrome

Journal article published in 2007 by Kazuaki Kanai, Satoshi Kuwabara ORCID, Sonoko Misawa, Takamichi Hattori
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Preprint: policy unknown
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Postprint: policy unknown
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Published version: policy unknown
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

We present the case of a 71-year-old woman with polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, and skin changes (POEMS) syndrome. Overproduction of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), secreted by plasmacytoma, is considered responsible for the characteristic symptoms, and therefore anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody (bevacizumab) could be a therapeutic option. The patient was treated with bevacizumab 7 years after onset. Despite a dramatic decrease in serum VEGF levels, there was no clinical improvement, possibly because aberrant angiogenesis had already developed systemically. We suggest that careful consideration should be taken for indication of bevacizumab therapy, and this agent may be used in selected patients with a short duration POEMS syndrome.