Abstract
Background: Capecitabine is a tumor-activated oral fluoropyrimidine with established antitumor activity in breast and colorectal cancer. Hypertriglyceridemia associated with this drug has rarely been reported in the literature. Case Report: This is a report of two patients who developed capecitabine-induced severe hypertriglyceridemia, together with an increase in total cholesterol levels. The first patient developed hyperlipidemia during long-term capecitabine treatment in combination with trastuzumab for metastatic breast carcinoma (triglycerides: from 219 mg/dl to 1409 mg/dl, 543% increase; cholesterol: from 239 mg/dl to 363 mg/dl, 52% increase). The second patient developed abnormalities in the lipid profile after the second cycle of chemotherapy with capecitabine and oxaliplatin for metastatic colorectal cancer (triglycerides: from 101 mg/dl to 1510 mg/dl, 1395% increase; cholesterol: from 203 mg/dl to 310 mg/dl, 52% increase). An analysis of the possible underlying pathogeneic mechanisms is provided. Conclusion: Physicians should be aware of the possibility of dyslipidemia, particularly hypertriglyceridemia, following treatment with capecitabine.
Footnotes
- Received January 30, 2006.
- Accepted March 30, 2006.
- Copyright© 2006 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved