[Successful readministration of L-asparaginase after development of severe hypertriglyceridemia in a young adult with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

ABSTRACT

A 24-year-old male patient with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia was diagnosed with severe hypertriglyceridemia after the sixth administration of L-asparaginase during remission-induction therapy of the Japan Adult Leukemia Study Group (JALSG) -ALL 202-U protocol. Lipoprotein analysis revealed type IV hyperlipidemia, which is associated with a relatively low risk for pancreatitis. Hypertriglyceridemia immediately resolved after discontinuing L-asparaginase and beginning a lipid-restricted diet. The patient did not develop any severe complications of hypertriglyceridemia (e.g., pancreatitis and thrombosis) ; therefore, L-asparaginase could be readministered according to the treatment protocol. Four adult patients with L-asparaginase-induced severe hypertriglyceridemia have been reported to date; however, none of the reports indicated that L-asparaginase had been readministered. Thus, this is the first report of a patient receiving such readministeration. In order to evaluate the safety of continuing L-asparaginase, it is considered necessary to accumulate similar readministration cases.