Acute pancreatitis in association with cytosine arabinoside therapy

This paper reports the association of acute pancreatitis coincident with cytosine arabinoside (Ara-c) therapy in a single patient on at least two occasions. The patient had previously received L-asparaginase, but the last dose had been given 4 months prior to the onset of pancreatitis. A literature review provided two more cases of pancreatitis associated with Ara-c therapy in patients previously treated with L-asparaginase. In view of th extreme rarity of pancreatitis in patients receiving Ara-c, the possibility arises that prior treatment with L-asparaginase may predispose the pancreas to this complication.