Treating Alpelisib-Induced Hyperinsulinemia in Patients with Advanced Breast Cancer - A Real-Life Experience

PIK3CA activating mutations are found in 40% of advanced breast cancer and are associated with worse prognosis. PI3K blockage is associated with insulin resistance, leading to hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. Alpelisib is the first PI3K inhibitor used in cancer treatment. Laboratory evidence indi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biologics 2023-01, Vol.17, p.61-67
Main Authors: Percik, Ruth, Oedegaard Smith, Cecilie, Leibovici, Anca, Shai, Ayelet
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
alpelisib
Antimitotic agents
Antineoplastic agents
Breast cancer
Cancer
Cancer patients
Care and treatment
Case Series
Complications and side effects
diabetes mellitus
Diabetes therapy
Hyperglycemia
hyperinsulinemia
Insulin
Insulin resistance
Physiological aspects
pioglitazone
Prognosis
Type 2 diabetes
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Summary:PIK3CA activating mutations are found in 40% of advanced breast cancer and are associated with worse prognosis. PI3K blockage is associated with insulin resistance, leading to hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. Alpelisib is the first PI3K inhibitor used in cancer treatment. Laboratory evidence indicated that alpelisib-induced hyperinsulinemia offsets the drug's efficacy, but insulin levels were not tested in the clinical trials that evaluated alpelisib for breast cancer. Hyperglycemia could also interfere with anti-tumor effects of PI3K inhibitors by inducing Immune tolerance and altered mitochondrial metabolism. We have monitored insulin levels in 4 breast cancer patients with concomitant metabolic syndrome treated with alpelisib, and pre-treated patients with baseline increased insulin levels with pioglitazone, a potent insulin sensitizer, to target both hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia, and we report the treatment course of these patients. All patients achieved glycemic control and were able to maintain alpelisib dose intensity. Duration of response to alpelisib was longer than anticipated in this treatment setting. Insulin dynamics confirmed the efficacy of pioglitazone as a specific on-target hypoglycemic and hypo-insulinemic agent in the unique setting of PI3K blockade. Our experience suggests that targeting hyperinsulinemia in patients with is safe and feasible and results in good metabolic and oncologic outcomes.
ISSN:1177-5475
1177-5491
1177-5491
DOI:10.2147/BTT.S395817