Two cases of colorectal cancer presenting with periodic, transient elevation of serum iron after chemotherapy including irinotecan
Motoori, S.; Hosokawa, Y.; Miyazawa, T.; Iwamoto, N.; Kase, Y.; Kitagawa, N.; Saisho, H.; Furuse, J.
Gan to Kagaku Ryoho. Cancer and ChemoTherapy 37(11): 2185-2188
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 0385-0684 PMID: 21084824 Document Number: 647140
It is known that the serum iron level shows a transient elevation after chemotherapy in some cases; however, the cause of this phenomenon has not been clearly described. We report two cases of colorectal cancer whose serum iron level demonstrated recurrent elevation after administration of irinotecan as a second-line chemotherapy. The transferrin saturation rate showed marked elevation together with serum iron. This fact indicates that the release of non-transferrin bound iron (NTBI) occurs and then, NTBI binds with transferrin immediately thereafter. Additionally, elevation of indirect bilirubin in case 1, and mild anemia in case 2 were observed after every course of chemotherapy. All these phenomena were synchronized with the fluctuation of the serum iron level. These observations suggest that the transient elevation of the serum iron was related with the release of the NTBI from red blood cells after chemotherapy including irinotecan.