Hypomagnesaemia in oncologic patients: to treat or not to treat?
Over recent decades there have been several papers that documented hypomagnesaemia*, in cancer patients treated, with cisplatin, with combined chemotherapies and more recently, with cetuximab an antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor. Recently, however, the clinical read-out of cetuximab-induced hypomagnesaemia has received different interpretations. Some reports called the readers' attention to the importance of magnesium supplementation in relieving patient's discomfort or preventing the most severe complications of hypomagnesaemia. Other reports claimed that magnesium deficiency could contribute to the oncologic efficacy of cetuximab. This latter interpretation implies that the decision on magnesium supplementation should consider the pros and cons of returning magnesium to normal levels. Given that decreased magnesium availability inhibits cell proliferation, hypomagnesaemia may slow down tumor growth. Unfortunately, one view does not fit all. We think it important to recapitulate our knowledge on the effects of magnesium on tumor growth, angiogenesis, invasion and metastatization with the aim of providing clinical oncologists with an overview of available data of the potential effects of hypomagnesaemia in tumor growth. Translating these results into clinical settings may help in designing suitable studies to better evaluate the consequences of hypomagnesaemia in cancer patients.
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Istituto di Patologia Generale e Centro di Ricerche Oncologiche Giovanni XXIII, Facoltá di Medicina "A. Gemelli", Roma, Italy. fwolf@rm.unicatt.it
Federica I
FI
Wolf
Valentina
V
Trapani
Achille
A
Cittadini
Jeanette A M
JA
Maier
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000068818:Cetuximab; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D008275:Magnesium Deficiency / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008274:Magnesium; D000068818:Cetuximab