[Lipid lowering treatment of severe hypertriglyceridemia with acute pancreatitis caused by everolimus in a patient with a neuroendocrine tumor]

An Sist Sanit Navar. 2020 Apr 20;43(1):103-106. doi: 10.23938/ASSN.0859.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Everolimus is an mTOR inhibitor, approved as a treatment for cancer and as an immunosuppressant agent in solid organ transplantation; it frequently produces toxic metabolic effects, particularly of the most severe kind. Its use can cause hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia; thus, metabolic values should be monitored regularly to prevent these adverse events. We present the case of a woman with an intestinal neuroendocrine tumor who developed two episodes of acute pancreatitis, secondary to severe hypertriglyceridemia caused by everolimus. After treatment with fibrates and omega-3, triglyceride levels returned to baseline, without developing new metabolic or digestive complications. Targeted levels of triglyceride for cancer patients treated with everolimus, should be below 500 or 300 mg/dL, depending on whether life expectancy is less or longer than one year, respectively.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects*
  • Everolimus / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertriglyceridemia / chemically induced*
  • Hypertriglyceridemia / complications
  • Hypertriglyceridemia / drug therapy
  • Hypolipidemic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Ileal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors / drug therapy*
  • Pancreatitis / etiology*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Hypolipidemic Agents
  • Everolimus