Lamivudine prophylaxis for chemotherapy induced reactivation hepatitis B: a case report and review.
Reactivation hepatitis B as a result of chemotherapy induced immunosuppression is well documented in the medical literature. Complications range from anicteric hepatitis to fulminant hepatic failure and death. Although lamivudine has been successfully used to treat hepatitis B reactivation in cancer patients, its role as prophylaxis in these patients is less well defined. We describe successfully lamivudine prophylaxis of a patient with chronic hepatitis B undergoing chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). We support the position that lamivudine may play a significant role in the successful prevention of reactivation hepatitis B in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The views expressed in this manuscript are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.