Open AccessManagement of pembrolizumab-induced steroid refractory mucositis with infliximab: A case report
Author(s) -
Harry Dang,
Jianfeng Sun,
Guoliang Wang,
Gregory J. Renner,
Lester J. Layfield,
Jaffar Hilli
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
world journal of clinical cases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.368
H-Index - 10
ISSN - 2307-8960
DOI - 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i18.4100
Subject(s) - medicine , odynophagia , surgery , mucositis , pembrolizumab , discontinuation , prednisone , adverse effect , dysphagia , gastroenterology , radiation therapy , cancer , immunotherapy
Pembrolizumab is an anti-programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) that was shown to have a tolerable safety profile with 17% of grade 3-4 drug-related adverse events, notable response rate of 16% with median duration of response of 8 mo, and median overall survival of 8 mo. Severe mucositis is a very rare complication with only two cases of grade 4 mucositis reported, and both cases had good response to intravenous methylprednisolone and subsequent oral prednisone tapering. We report the first case of pembrolizumab-induced severe mucositis that was refractory to steroid treatment.