The Drug-Induced Respiratory Disease Website and App

XLV.f

XLV - Pleural and/or pericardial involvement

Pneumothorax

Last update 17/06/2026

Can be uni- or bilateral. Pneumomediastinum can be present as an associated finding. Pneumothorax can develop as a complication of drug-induced pleural fibrosis or fibroelastosis (see under IV c) and it can difficult to treat as the lung may reexpand poorly. Pneumothorax can also occur as a complication of drug-induced cavitation or thinning of pulmonary tumors including metastases (See XIu). The association with therapy with drugs is confounded by indication (PMID 23801882) as pneumothorax can also occur idiopathically. Novel targeted agents may cause tumor necrosis, cavitation of metastatic lung nodules and difficult-to-treat pneumothorax

Causative drugs

Frequency - Incidence

Incidence of respiratory adverse event(s) due to the specific drug as assessed by number of reported/published cases in the literature. Red digits in stars indicate: 0 = Very rare, questionable signal · 1 = < 10 cases · 2 = 10-50 cases · 3 = 50–100 cases · 4 = 100-200 cases · 5 = >200 cases