Acute Lower Extremity Arterial Thrombosis Associated with Osimertinib-Induced Erythrocytosis

Thromboembolic Events Associated with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: A Pharmacovigilance Analysis of the US FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) Database

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Although thromboembolic events (TEEs) have been reported with the use of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs), their association remains largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to provide a comprehensive review of TEEs associated with EGFR-TKIs.

METHODS

We collected EGFR-TKIs (gefitinib, erlotinib, afatinib, and osimertinib) adverse reaction reports from 2015 Q1 to 2023 Q1 from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database. Disproportionality analysis was conducted to identify thromboembolic adverse events associated with EGFR-TKIs by comparing them with the overall FAERS database according to the reporting odds ratio (ROR). Associated factors were explored using univariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

We identified 1068 reports of TEEs associated with EGFR-TKIs (1.24% accounts for all TEEs). Affected patients were females (49.72%) and those older than 65 years (41.20%). The reported TEE case fatality was 30.24%. The median time to onset (TTO) of all cases was 39 days [interquartile range (IQR) 11-161], and the median TTO of fatalities [31 days (IQR 10-116)] was significantly shorter than that of non-fatal cases [46 days (IQR 12-186)].

CONCLUSION

This study yielded three key findings. Firstly, EGFR-TKIs seem to exhibit prothrombotic effects, elevating the risk of TEEs. Secondly, the clinical outcomes of TEEs associated with EGFR-TKIs were poor. Thirdly, most TEEs occurred within the initial 3 months, and fatal cases occurred earlier than non-fatal cases.

Continuous Tunneled Infraclavicular Nerve Catheter for Palliative Management of Critical Limb Ischemia: A Case Report

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is limb pain occurring at rest or impending limb loss as a result of lack of blood flow to the affected extremity. CLI pain is challenging to control despite multimodal pharmacologic analgesia and surgical intervention. We describe the successful use of a continuous local anesthetic infusion via an infraclavicular nerve catheter to control severe refractory ischemic upper limb pain in a patient with metastatic lung cancer for whom surgical and pharmacological intervention was unsuccessful. As her opioid requirements increased due to worsening ischemic pain, she subsequently developed opioid toxicity, hence prompting the palliative use of a tunneled infraclavicular nerve catheter under ultrasound guidance to minimize opioid requirements. Her opioid requirements tailed down subsequently with the successful insertion of the infraclavicular nerve catheter and she remained pain free till her death. Palliative use of nerve catheters is a safe and an effective alternative in patients with refractory cancer pain, and we describe our methods to prolong its use and minimizing its associated long-term complications.

The role of mean corpuscular volume and red cell distribution width in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors: the MARECAP retrospective study

Background

Tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immunotherapy represent the backbone treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients. The aim of the present study was to describe mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and red cell distribution width (RDW) in mRCC patients treated with pazopanib or cabozantinib, and to explore their potential impact on oncological outcomes.

Materials and methods

We conducted a multicenter retrospective observational study in mRCC patients treated with pazopanib or cabozantinib between January 2012 and December 2020 in nine Italian centers. Descriptive statistics, univariate, and multivariate analyses were performed.

Objectives

The primary endpoints were the incidence and trend over time of anemia, macrocytosis (elevated MCV), and anisocytosis (elevated RDW). The secondary endpoints were the correlations of MCV and RDW with objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).

Results

A total of 301 patients were enrolled; mean Hb value was 12.5 g/dl, a mean increase of 1 g/dl was observed at day 15 and maintained at 3 months. Most patients had baseline macrocytosis (MCV levels > 87 fl), with a significant mean increase after 3 months of treatment. At univariate analysis patients with macrocytosis had better ORR, longer PFS, and OS. About one third of patients had baseline anisocytosis (RDW > 16%), with a significant mean increase after 3 months of treatment. At univariate analysis, patients with RDW values ⩽ 16% had higher ORR, longer PFS, and OS. At multivariate analysis, baseline macrocytosis was significantly associated with better PFS in patients treated with pazopanib and baseline anisocytosis with shorter OS in all patients.

Conclusions

mRCC patients treated with pazopanib or cabozantinib may have baseline macrocytosis and anisocytosis. A significant increase of Hb, MCV, and RDW after TKIs start was observed. Baseline macrocytosis is positively correlated with PFS in patients treated with pazopanib and baseline anisocytosis affects survival of patients treated with TKIs.