sirolimus and Hypothyroidism

Since 2006, new treatments as targeted therapies (anti angiogenic and mTOR inhibitors) are prescribed in renal cell cancer. Toxicity of these treatments is well known by clinicians. Occurrence of these side effects has been associated with anti tumoral efficacy. High blood pressure, hypothyroïdie and hand foot syndrome were reported to be predictive of anti tumoral response. Fatigue and hyponatremia are still largely discussed. Moreover, non infectious pneumonia, which frequently occurs with mTOR inhibitors, is associated with clinical benefit. The main objective of treatment of advanced kidney cancer, specially renal cell cancer, is obtaining clinical benefit (stabilization and response) with a chronic evolution of the disease. This prolong exposure to drugs, according to their toxicity profile, often contributes to dose reduction, moreover interruption of treatment, potentially associated with a loss of control of disease. Thus, the adverse effects, described hereby, may be considered as « positive events », predicting efficacy, and thus looked for… Moreover, the sequential approach, with new drugs, emphasizes the need of defining the optimal sequence. Thus, because of the lack of molecular biomarkers to date, this predictives secondary effects may help for selecting the therapeutic strategy.

Topics: Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Antineoplastic Agents; Asthenia; Carcinoma, Renal Cell; Everolimus; Hand-Foot Syndrome; Humans; Hypertension; Hypothyroidism; Kidney Neoplasms; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Prognosis; Sirolimus; Treatment Outcome

With the advent of targeted agents for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), overall survival has improved, and patients are being treated continuously for increasingly long periods of time. This has raised challenges in the management of adverse events (AEs) associated with the six targeted agents approved in RCC-sorafenib, sunitinib, pazopanib, bevacizumab (in combination with interferon alpha), temsirolimus, and everolimus. Suggestions for monitoring and managing AEs have been published, but there are few consensus recommendations. In addition, there is a risk that patients will be subjected to multiple unnecessary investigations. In this review, we aimed to identify the level of supporting evidence for suggested AE management strategies to provide practical guidance on essential monitoring and management that should be undertaken when using targeted agents. Five databases were systematically searched for relevant English language articles (including American Society of Clinical Oncology abstracts) published between January 2007 and March 2011; European Society of Medical Oncology congress abstracts were hand searched. Strategies for AE management were summarized and categorized according to the level of recommendation. A total of 107 articles were identified that describe a large number of different investigations for monitoring AEs and interventions for AE management. We identify and summarize clear recommendations for the management of dermatologic, gastrointestinal, thyroid, cardiovascular, and other AEs, based predominantly on expert opinion. However, because the evidence for the suggested management strategies is largely anecdotal, there is a need for further systematic investigation of management strategies for AEs related to targeted therapies for RCC.

Topics: Anorexia; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Antineoplastic Agents; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Benzenesulfonates; Bevacizumab; Carcinoma, Renal Cell; Cardiovascular System; Drug Eruptions; Europe; Everolimus; Evidence-Based Medicine; Gastrointestinal Tract; Humans; Hypothyroidism; Indazoles; Indoles; Kidney Neoplasms; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Niacinamide; Phenylurea Compounds; Pneumonia; Protein Kinase Inhibitors; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Pyridines; Pyrimidines; Pyrroles; Sirolimus; Sorafenib; Sulfonamides; Sunitinib; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Weight Loss; Wound Healing

The treatment options for metastatic renal cell carcinoma have expanded rapidly over the past 3 years, with four new agents available and others in late-stage development. This has resulted in a change of the standard of first-line care, with sunitinib or bevacizumab plus interferon the treatments of choice for patients with good or intermediate-risk renal cell carcinoma and temsirolimus treatment of choice for poor-risk disease. Sunitinib and bevacizumab plus interferon have similar efficacy, meaning that treatment choice is influenced by other factors: disease-related factors such as clear cell versus non-clear cell histology; patient factors such as co-morbidities, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center risk and patient preference; and drug-related factors such as tolerability profile. The aim of this review is to describe the tolerability of the first-line treatment options for clear cell renal cell carcinoma, giving consideration to how tolerability profiles relate to drug mechanism of action. Thus, the incidence and aetiology of side effects related to vascular endothelial growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibition using sunitinib and bevacizumab, as well as those of the non-specific side effects observed with sunitinib, are described. In addition, the potential patient impact and management of these side effects, as well as those of interferon and temsirolimus, are considered. Finally, the implications of the tolerability profiles of these agents for combination therapy and use in broader populations than those enrolled in trials are assessed.

Topics: Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Antineoplastic Agents; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Bevacizumab; Blood Coagulation Disorders; Carcinoma, Renal Cell; Cardiovascular Diseases; Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; Disease-Free Survival; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Hematologic Diseases; Humans; Hypothyroidism; Indoles; Interferons; Kidney Neoplasms; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Neoplasm Proteins; Pyrroles; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; Sirolimus; Sunitinib; Wound Healing

Consumptive hypothyroidism may occur in hepatic hemangioendothelioma. The altered expression of deiodinases inactivates peripheral thyroid hormones. As a result, serum levels of free triiodothyronine and free thyroxine are reduced to varying degrees. There are no established recommendations for the dosage of sirolimus for this particular indication. We describe for the first time the course of treatment with low-dose sirolimus.. We present a 5-week-old infant with hepatic hemangioendothelioma and severe consumptive hypothyroidism. Due to hepatic infiltration he showed signs of right heart strain. Therapy of hemangioendothelioma was initiated with propranolol and, in the absence of response, methylprednisolone was added. Treatment was continued with low-dose sirolimus (due to side effects) and propranolol. Hypothyroidism was managed with levothyroxine and liothyronine.. Consumptive hypothyroidism due to cutaneous hemangioma and hepatic hemangioendothelioma can be managed with propranolol and low-dose sirolimus. Treatment of severe hypothyroidism may require a combinational therapy by substitution of both T3 and T4.

Topics: Hemangioendothelioma; Humans; Hypothyroidism; Infant; Liver Neoplasms; Male; Propranolol; Sirolimus; Thyroid Hormones; Thyroxine; Triiodothyronine

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) develops in approximately 33% of all renal cancer patients. First line treatment of mRCC includes drugs such as sunitinib, temsirolimus and pazopanib, with overall survival now reaching up to 43,6months in patients with favorable-risk metastatic disease. Several side-effects in mRCC treatment, such as hypothyroidism, can be used as positive prognostic factors and indicate good response to therapy. Hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia independent of hypothyroidism are reported as side-effects in temsirolimus treatment and recently in sunitinib treatment, but the exact mechanism and significance of the changes remains elusive. Most likely, metabolic changes are caused by inhibition of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), a positive target of tumor growth suppression, but also a regulator of iron homeostasis. There are no clinical studies reporting changes in iron and ferritin levels during mRCC biotherapy, but we hypothesize that inhibition of mTOR will also affect iron and ferritin levels. If both lipid and iron changes correlate, there is a high possibility that both changes are primarily caused by mTOR inhibition and the level of change should correlate with the inhibition of mTOR pathway and hence the efficacy of targeted treatment. We lastly hypothesize that mRCC biotherapy causes hypercholesterolemia with a possibly improved cholesterol profile due to increase HDL/LDL ratio, so statins might not have a role as supplementary treatment, whereas a sharp rise in triglyceride levels seems to be the primary target for additional therapy.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Renal Cell; Cholesterol; Ferritins; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; Hypercholesterolemia; Hypertriglyceridemia; Hypothyroidism; Indazoles; Indoles; Iron; Kidney Neoplasms; Lipids; Metabolome; Models, Theoretical; Neoplasm Metastasis; Prognosis; Pyrimidines; Pyrroles; Sirolimus; Sulfonamides; Sunitinib; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; Triglycerides

The recent development of antiangiogenic agents has revolutionized the management of renal cell carcinoma. In less than two-years, the French health authorities have approved the use of four drugs (sorafenib, sunitinib bevacizumab, temsirolimus) for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma. A fifth drug (everolimus) should be on the market some time. Clinicians have changed their practice and are faced with a number of new adverse events. The management of toxic effects is essential to ensure treatment compliance and patient quality of life. The present report describes in detail the adverse events associated with each therapeutic class and the management of side effects.

Topics: Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Benzenesulfonates; Bevacizumab; Carcinoma, Renal Cell; Digestive System; Heart; Humans; Hypothyroidism; Indoles; Kidney Neoplasms; Lung Injury; Mucous Membrane; Muscle Fatigue; Niacinamide; Phenylurea Compounds; Pyridines; Pyrroles; Sirolimus; Sorafenib; Sunitinib