Biopsy-proven first dose of oxaliplatin-induced acute tubular necrosis leading to end-stage renal failure: a case report

BACKGROUND: Oxaliplatin is an anticancer therapy for pancreatic, gastric, and colorectal cancers. It is also used in patients with carcinomas of unknown primary sites. Oxaliplatin is associated with less frequent renal dysfunction than other conventional platinum-based drugs such as cisplatin. Albeit, there have been several reports of acute kidney injury with frequent use. In all cases, renal dysfunction was temporary and did not require maintenance dialysis. There have been no previous reports of irreversible renal dysfunction after a single dose of oxaliplatin. CASE PRESENTATION: Previous reports of oxaliplatin-induced renal injury occurred after patients received multiples doses. In this study, a 75-year-old male with unknown primary cancer and underlying chronic kidney disease developed acute renal failure after receiving the first dose of oxaliplatin. Suspected of having drug-induced renal failure through an immunological mechanism, the patient was treated with steroids; however, treatment was ineffective. Renal biopsy ruled out interstitial nephritis and revealed acute tubular necrosis. Renal failure was irreversible, and the patient subsequently required maintenance hemodialysis. CONCLUSIONS: We provide the first report of pathology-confirmed acute tubular necrosis after the first dose of oxaliplatin which led to irreversible renal dysfunction and maintenance dialysis.