scholarly journals Case Report: Fatal myocarditis after combination of immune checkpoint inhibitor and platinum doublet chemotherapy

F1000Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Vilde Drageset Haakensen ◽  
Solfrid M.H. Thunold ◽  
Geeta Gulati

Myocarditis is a rare but feared adverse event of treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The incidence is about 1%, while the mortality rate is up to 50%. Many physicians treating lung cancer do not have experience with this serious adverse event, and few hospitals in Scandinavia have routines for baseline assessments that may help detect early signs of inflammation of the myocard. Early onset of anti-inflammatory treatment is associated with favourable outcome.   We present a case report of fatal myocarditis after treatment with check-point inhibitor. The patient was admitted with severe dyspnoea, general body ache, weakness, dysphagia, palpitations and diplopia two weeks after her second infusion of systemic treatment combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy. She had presented vague symptoms at time of the second infusion that were not identified as related to myocarditis/myositis. Upon aggressive treatment with methylprednisolone, mycophenolate mofetil, abatacept and plasmapheresis, her troponins and pro-BNP were reduced, but clinically she deteriorated and her life could not be saved. We present this case report to increase awareness of the condition and to raise discussion about the role of routine baseline assessments to aid early diagnosis and anti-inflammatory treatment to prevent treatment-related deaths.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e21047-e21047
Author(s):  
Mohamed Hendawi ◽  
Luke Peterson ◽  
Eyob ale Tadesse ◽  
Frank M. Wolf ◽  
Thomas D. Brown ◽  
...  

e21047 Background: Patients (pts) with lung cancer and other cancers treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) may experience immune related adverse events (irAE). These can present with variable severity and with single- or multi-organ involvement including pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis, and myocarditis/pericarditis. The incidence of myocarditis has been reported between 0.06% and 2.4% and is associated with a high mortality (25% to 50%). This retrospective review of real-world data (RWD) investigates myocarditis as a high-grade adverse event in pts with lung cancer treated with ICIs. Methods: Pts were identified and characterized using RWD in the Syapse Learning Health Network platform from 2010 to 2020 at Advocate Aurora Health Care. Eligible pts included: ≥18 years old; histologically confirmed NSCLC; and myocarditis diagnosis by ICD codes. Additional chart review was performed to confirm timing of ICI treatment and myocarditis. All pts identification and review were performed after IRB review. Results: 12,686 pts with non-small cell lung cancer were eligible for review. The median age at diagnosis was 70; 54% were female; 86% were White and 12% were Black; 1,975 (15.6%) were treated with an ICI and of those 4 cases (0.2%) of myocarditis were identified. All 4 pts were White females, ages 46, 59, 65, and 74 years. Pathology included lung adenocarcinoma (3) and an undifferentiated lung carcinoma (1). All pts had metastatic disease, and none had a prior history of cardiac disease. ICIs were pembrolizumab (2), durvalumab (1), and nivolumab (1). Median time from initial dose of ICI to diagnosis of myocarditis was 62 days [range: 42-185]. All 4 pts presented with chest pain and elevated troponin T [median 0.07 ng/ml (range: 0.06-0.08)]. All pts had echocardiography at the time of diagnosis, and 2 pts had cardiac MRI that confirmed myocarditis. 3 pts were treated with a prednisone taper. 1 pt died of recurrent congestive heart failure and ventricular tachycardia despite rescue attempt with high dose corticosteroids. 2 pts had additional concomitant irAEs of hypothyroidism/colitis, and thyroiditis/pneumonitis, respectively. Conclusions: Many irAEs are reversible. This RWD analysis confirms that clinically evident myocarditis is a rare but serious adverse event of ICI therapy. Early consideration, diagnosis, and intervention may help prevent poor outcomes. Termination of ICI therapy along with initiation of corticosteroids constitute the current standard of management. Further research is warranted to better identify high risk groups, surveillance measures, and improved management of ICI associated myocarditis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e000952 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernesto Rossi ◽  
Giovanni Schinzari ◽  
Giampaolo Tortora

Pneumonitis is a rare but serious adverse event caused by cancer immunotherapy. The diagnosis between COVID-19-induced pneumonia and immunotherapy-induced pneumonitis may be challenging in the era of COVID-19 outbreak. Some clinical symptoms and radiological findings of pneumonitis can be attributed to the coronavirus infection as well as to an immune-related adverse event. Identifying the exact cause of a pneumonitis in patients on treatment with immunotherapy is crucial to promptly start the most appropriate treatment. The proper management of immune checkpoint inhibitors for the risk of pneumonia must take into account a series of parameters. Accurate attention should be payed to symptoms like cough, fever and dyspnea during immunotherapy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 184 (1) ◽  
pp. K1-K5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bastiaan Sol ◽  
Jeroen M K de Filette ◽  
Gil Awada ◽  
Steven Raeymaeckers ◽  
Sandrine Aspeslagh ◽  
...  

Background Pituitary carcinomas are rare but aggressive and require maximally coordinated multimodal therapies. For refractory tumors, unresponsive to temozolomide (TMZ), therapeutic options are limited. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) may be considered for treatment as illustrated in the present case report. Case We report a patient with ACTH-secreting pituitary carcinoma, progressive after multiple lines of therapy including chemotherapy with TMZ, who demonstrated disease stabilization by a combination of ipilimumab (anti-CTLA-4) and nivolumab (anti-PD-1) ICI therapy. Discussion Management of pituitary carcinoma beyond TMZ remains ill-defined and relies on case reports. TMZ creates, due to hypermutation, more immunogenic tumors and subsequently potential candidates for ICI therapy. This case report adds support to the possible role of ICI in the treatment of pituitary carcinoma. Conclusion ICI therapy could be a promising treatment option for pituitary carcinoma, considering the mechanisms of TMZ-induced hypermutation with increased immunogenicity, pituitary expression of CTLA-4 and PD-L1, and the frequent occurrence of hypophysitis as a side effect of ICI therapy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (13) ◽  
pp. 33-33
Author(s):  
Hui Zhou ◽  
Ning Li ◽  
Huifeng Tang ◽  
Hang Chen ◽  
Xiaohui Chen ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Kim ◽  
Abdulrazzak Zarifa ◽  
Mohammed Salih ◽  
Juan Lopez-Mattei ◽  
HunJu Lee ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelo Castello ◽  
Egesta Lopci

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have achieved astonishing results and improved overall survival (OS) in several types of malignancies, including advanced melanoma. However, due to a peculiar type of anti-cancer activity provided by these drugs, the response patterns during ICI treatment are completely different from that with “old” chemotherapeutic agents. Objective: To provide an overview of the available literature and potentials of 18F-FDG PET/CT in advanced melanoma during the course of therapy with ICI in the context of treatment response evaluation. Methods: Morphologic criteria, expressed by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), immune-related response criteria (irRC), irRECIST, and, more recently, immune-RECIST (iRECIST), along with response criteria based on the metabolic parameters with 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (18FFDG), have been explored. Results: To overcome the limits of traditional response criteria, new metabolic response criteria have been introduced on time and are being continuously updated, such as the PET/CT Criteria for the early prediction of Response to Immune checkpoint inhibitor Therapy (PECRIT), the PET Response Evaluation Criteria for Immunotherapy (PERCIMT), and “immunotherapy-modified” PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (imPERCIST). The introduction of new PET radiotracers, based on monoclonal antibodies combined with radioactive elements (“immune-PET”), are of great interest. Conclusion: Although the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in malignant melanoma has been widely validated for detecting distant metastases and recurrences, evidences in course of ICI are still scarce and larger multicenter clinical trials are needed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. S300-S301
Author(s):  
M. Peravali ◽  
C. Gomes-Lima ◽  
E. Tefera ◽  
M. Baker ◽  
M. Sherchan ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 175628482110244
Author(s):  
Vanessa Wookey ◽  
Axel Grothey

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer type in both men and women in the USA. Most patients with CRC are diagnosed as local or regional disease. However, the survival rate for those diagnosed with metastatic disease remains disappointing, despite multiple treatment options. Cancer therapies for patients with unresectable or metastatic CRC are increasingly being driven by particular biomarkers. The development of various immune checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionized cancer therapy over the last decade by harnessing the immune system in the treatment of cancer, and the role of immunotherapy continues to expand and evolve. Pembrolizumab is an anti-programmed cell death protein 1 immune checkpoint inhibitor and has become an essential part of the standard of care in the treatment regimens for multiple cancer types. This paper reviews the increasing evidence supporting and defining the role of pembrolizumab in the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic CRC.


Author(s):  
Jie Zhang ◽  
Zhujiang Dai ◽  
Cheng Yan ◽  
Wenjie Zhang ◽  
Daorong Wang ◽  
...  

AbstractCancer immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of many malignant tumors. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can reactivate the anti-tumor activity of immune cells, sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy depends on the complex tumor immune processes. In recent years, numerous researches have demonstrated the role of intestinal microbiota in immunity and metabolism of the tumor microenvironment, as well as the efficacy of immunotherapy. Epidemiological studies have further demonstrated the efficacy of antibiotic therapy on the probability of patients' response to ICIs and predictability of the short-term survival of cancer patients. Disturbance to the intestinal microbiota significantly affects ICIs-mediated immune reconstitution and is considered a possible mechanism underlying the development of adverse effects during antibiotic-based ICIs treatment. Intestinal microbiota, antibiotics, and ICIs have gradually become important considerations for the titer of immunotherapy. In the case of immunotherapy, the rational use of antibiotics and intestinal microbiota is expected to yield a better prognosis for patients with malignant tumors.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 7511
Author(s):  
Albina Fejza ◽  
Maurizio Polano ◽  
Lucrezia Camicia ◽  
Evelina Poletto ◽  
Greta Carobolante ◽  
...  

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionized the treatment of melanoma patients, leading to remarkable improvements in the cure. However, to ensure a safe and effective treatment, there is the need to develop markers to identify the patients that would most likely respond to the therapies. The microenvironment is gaining attention in this context, since it can regulate both the immunotherapy efficacyand angiogenesis, which is known to be affected by treatment. Here, we investigated the putative role of the ECM molecule EMILIN-2, a tumor suppressive and pro-angiogenic molecule. We verified that the EMILIN2 expression is variable among melanoma patients and is associated with the response to PD-L1 inhibitors. Consistently, in preclinical settings,the absence of EMILIN-2 is associated with higher PD-L1 expression and increased immunotherapy efficacy. We verified that EMILIN-2 modulates PD-L1 expression in melanoma cells through indirect immune-dependent mechanisms. Notably, upon PD-L1 blockage, Emilin2−/− mice displayed improved intra-tumoral vessel normalization and decreased tumor hypoxia. Finally, we provide evidence indicating that the inclusion of EMILIN2 in a number of gene expression signatures improves their predictive potential, a further indication that the analysis of this molecule may be key for the development of new markers to predict immunotherapy efficacy.


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