Dasatinib-induced chylothorax: a clinical laboratory’s perspective

Abstract

Dasatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor drug used for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) treatment. Chylothorax has been rarely reported as a secondary effect of dasatinib occurring especially in long-term treated patients, although its pathophysiology is not yet fully understood. Laboratory analysis of the pleural effusion is crucial for chylothorax diagnosis. We report a case of a 53-year-old male patient presenting a chylothorax after 14 years of dasatinib therapy where the clinical laboratory was key in the diagnosis.