Article Text
Summary
A 56-year-old woman presented with anasarca, hypoalbuminaemia and hypotension following cycle 3 day 1 of adjuvant gemcitabine for stage II pancreatic cancer. Due to the temporal nature of presentation, suspicion for gemcitabine-induced capillary leak syndrome was included in the differential diagnosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor levels were elevated at 707 pg/mL (reference range: 9–86 pg/mL). Corticosteroids were initiated, resulting in complete resolution of symptoms and hypotension. The patient suffered relapse of symptoms on discontinuation of steroids, further supporting chronic capillary leak syndrome.
- pancreatic cancer
- contraindications and precautions
- unwanted effects / adverse reactions
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Footnotes
Contributors RB contributed to writing and drafting the case report, gathering all information and getting informed consent from the patient's family. KD and JS provided critical revisions and added intellectual content.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient consent Obtained from guardian.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.