We present here the case of a 39-year-old man with metastatic pancreatic carcinoma receiving chemotherapy with the combination of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel as part of a clinical trial. Despite an impressive response to therapy, he ultimately developed profound anasarca, renal insufficiency, progressive cytopenias, and malignant hypertension 6 months into his treatment course. The diagnosis of gemcitabine-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (G-TMA) was made based on renal biopsy, and receipt of the anti-C5 monoclonal antibody eculizumab proved successful at reversing his deteriorating clinical course and improving his laboratory parameters. This case illustrates the importance of recognizing this rare but serious complication, and highlights one potential therapeutic option that can be used in the appropriate clinical context.
Keywords: Gemcitabine; chemotherapy complications; eculizumab; pancreatic cancer; thrombotic microangiopathy.
Copyright© 2020, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.