Pazopanib and Axitinib Linked to Probable Cholecystitis in Renal Cell Carcinoma CaseKidney cancer drugs may cause gallbladder inflammation in some patients

This is a case report and literature review examining cholecystitis in a 74-year-old male with renal cell carcinoma treated with the anti-angiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors pazopanib and axitinib. The patient developed symptoms of cholecystitis 4 weeks after starting pazopanib and 8 weeks after starting axitinib. Drug discontinuation occurred. Naranjo Adverse Drug Reaction Probability Scale scores showed 4 points for pazopanib and 6 points for axitinib, indicating a probable association. The authors suggest that anti-angiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors may induce rare episodes of cholecystitis in specific patient populations. The report is limited by its small sample size (a single case), and no comparator, follow-up duration, or primary outcome was reported. Serious adverse events and tolerability were not reported. The authors recommend that clinicians maintain adequate vigilance, conduct close clinical monitoring, and adjust therapeutic regimens in a timely manner to ensure patient safety and optimize prognosis. Given the nature of a single case report, these findings cannot establish causality or estimate incidence, and they should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating.