title: Serum cholesterol and mTOR inhibitors: surrogate biomarker or epiphenomenon?
abstract: Lee and colleagues report that increase in serum cholesterol is associated with improved clinical outcomes in patients with renal cell carcinoma treated with temsirolimus. Although these findings must be validated prospectively, it should also be determined if this marker is a true mechanism-based toxicity or an epiphenomenon associated with therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA. dcho1@bidmc.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Atkins
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C401859:temsirolimus; D002784:Cholesterol; D020123:Sirolimus