Korean J Med.  2015 Jan;88(1):101-105. 10.3904/kjm.2015.88.1.101.

Hypertriglyceridemia Associated with Use of Sunitinib to Treat a Metastatic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor

• Yoo S
• Woo I
• Jung YH
• Kim G
• Cho Y
• Han CW

• KMID: 2269179
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjm.2015.88.1.101

Abstract

Sunitinib is a multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor used to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumors, renal cell carcinoma, and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. The most common adverse reactions are known to be nausea, fatigue, diarrhea, stomatitis, esophagitis, hypertension, skin toxicity (hand-foot syndrome), hypothyroidism, and reduction in the cardiac output of the left ventricle. Herein, we report the case of a 57 year-old female who visited our hospital complaining of epigastric pain. She had been taking sunitinib at 25 mg/day to treat a metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. Upon computed tomography performed on admission, we observed that fluid had collected around the pancreas. Laboratory analysis revealed hypertriglyceridemia (triglycerides 993 mg/dL). Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are known to have limited effects on lipid metabolism. In this case, we suggest that hyperglycemia seems to have had a limited effect on lipid levels. We are rather of the view that hyperglycemia, a history of distal pancreatectomy, and hypothyrodisim, indirectly caused the observed hypertriglyceridemia.

Keyword

Sunitinib; Hypertriglyceridemia; Neuroendocrine tumor; Hypothyroidism

MeSH Terms

Carcinoma, Renal Cell
Cardiac Output
Diarrhea
Esophagitis
Fatigue
Female
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
Heart Ventricles
Humans
Hyperglycemia
Hypertension
Hypertriglyceridemia*
Hypothyroidism
Lipid Metabolism
Nausea
Neuroendocrine Tumors*
Pancreas
Pancreatectomy
Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
Skin
Stomatitis
Protein-Tyrosine Kinases