Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma in a 69-Year-Old Woman Receiving Glucagon-Like Peptide-2 Therapy. (22nd July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zyczynski, Laura E.; McHugh, Jonathan B.; Gribbin, Thomas E.; Schuetze, Scott M.
• Other Names: Mauri Francesco A. Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Case reports in oncological medicine. Volume 2015(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-07-22
• Subjects: Oncology -- Periodicals; Tumors -- Periodicals; Oncology -- Case studies -- Periodicals; Neoplasms; Oncology; Tumors; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Case studies; Periodicals; Case Reports; Fulltext; Internet Resources; Periodicals; 616.994
• DOI: 10.1155/2015/107479
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-6706

Abstract

Abstract : A 69-year-old woman was diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) of the nasopharynx. She has a history of catastrophic thromboembolic event in the abdomen that caused short-gut syndrome and dependence on total parenteral nutrition (TPN) twelve hours per day. She was treated for short-gut syndrome with teduglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) analog, which led to reduction of TPN requirements. However, a few months later, she developed metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Though a causative relationship is unlikely between the peptide and ARMS due to the brief time course between teduglutide therapy and sarcoma diagnosis, neoplastic growth may have been accelerated by the GLP-2 analog, causing release of IGF-1. The transmembrane receptor for IGF-1 is frequently overexpressed in ARMS and is implicated in cell proliferation and metastatic behavior. This case describes a rare incidence of metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma in a sexagenarian and possibly the first case reported associated with the use of teduglutide. Teduglutide was discontinued due to a potential theoretical risk of acceleration of sarcoma growth, and the patient's rhabdomyosarcoma is in remission following sarcoma chemotherapy.