Evidence Hub

Efficacy of Magnesium Supplementation in Cancer Patients Developing Hypomagnesemia Due to Anti-EGFR Antibody: A Systematic Review

Taigo Kato, Takahisa Kawaguchi, T. Funakoshi, Yutaka Fujiwara, Yoshinari Yasuda, Yuichi Ando

Cancer Diagnosis & Prognosis, 2024

3 citations

Abstract

Background/Aim

Hypomagnesemia is a common side effect of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies, which may lead to arrhythmia. However, there are no evidence-based guidelines for magnesium (Mg) supplementation in the management of hypomagnesemia in patients with anti-EGFR antibodies. Therefore, we performed a systematic review to address clinical questions regarding these cancer patients.

Materials and Methods

Three electronic databases were searched for articles published until June 18, 2021. The main outcomes used were "anti-EGFR antibody" and "hypomagnesemia".

Results

After screening 78 references in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and ICHUSHI-web databases, three studies were included in the review. One study revealed the effectiveness of Mg supplementation in the management of hypomagnesemia in patients receiving cetuximab. However, no studies have investigated whether correcting hypomagnesemia can lead to the suppression of arrhythmias as a clinical outcome.

Conclusion

Weak evidence suggests that Mg supplementation, as a preventive measure when developing hypomagnesemia following the initiation of anti-EGFR antibody therapy, may prevent the worsening of hypomagnesemia, and subsequently prevent associated arrhythmia occurrence.

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a systematic review, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free