Deoxycholic Acid for Dercum Disease: Repurposing a Cosmetic Agent to Treat a Rare Disease

Cutis. 2023 Apr;111(4):E4-E8. doi: 10.12788/cutis.0752.

Abstract

Dercum disease is a rare condition characterized by multiple painful fatty tumors distributed throughout the body. There currently are no US Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for Dercum disease, and the treatments tried have shown little to no efficacy, leaving many patients with a profoundly negative impact on quality of life. We present a case series of 3 patients who were diagnosed with Dercum disease and were treated with deoxycholic acid (DCA), a therapy approved for adipolysis of submental fat. The patients experienced a reduction in tumor size with radiographic evidence as well as a notable reduction in symptoms.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adiposis Dolorosa* / drug therapy
  • Adiposis Dolorosa* / etiology
  • Cosmetic Techniques* / adverse effects
  • Deoxycholic Acid / adverse effects
  • Deoxycholic Acid / therapeutic use
  • Drug Repositioning
  • Humans
  • Injections, Subcutaneous
  • Lipoma*
  • Quality of Life
  • Rare Diseases / chemically induced
  • Rare Diseases / drug therapy
  • Subcutaneous Fat

Substances

  • Deoxycholic Acid