[Hepatotoxicity of acetaminophen in a patient treated with capecitabine due to breast cancer].

Toxic liver injury is among the major side effects of paracetamol. It is a direct effect of the drug metabolite on the liver cells and is dependent on the dose. Unintentional overdose is often the result of several days of taking excessive doses of the drug for medical use. It is fostered by patients' self-treatment, the availability of non-prescription drugs and lack of awareness of the actual composition of the medication taken. The authors of this study reported a case of hepatotoxicity in a patient treated with capecitabine for breast cancer. Capecitabine therapy was completed several days before the use of paracetamol. The detailed interview with the patient revealed that the cause of hepatic dysfunction was the fact that she took paracetamol for 3 days in a daily dose of 5.5 grams (the permissible safe dose is 4 grams) due to the viral infection. After symptomatic treatment over several days improved took place.