Open AccessImmunotherapy-Induced Acute Hepatitis in the Elderly: The Case of a Patient with Urothelial Carcinoma and a Review of the Literature
Author(s) -
Ioannou Alexandros,
George Papaxoinis,
Dimitrios Dimitroulopoulos,
Dimitrios Tryfonopoulos,
Panagiotis Gouveris
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
forum of clinical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.102
H-Index - 5
eISSN - 1792-362X
pISSN - 1792-345X
DOI - 10.2478/fco-2021-0003
Subject(s) - pembrolizumab , medicine , immunotherapy , discontinuation , adverse effect , oncology , immunosenescence , immune system , cancer , avelumab , incidence (geometry) , immunology , physics , optics
Cancer immunotherapy is an emerging beneficial treatment for cancer that acts by activating the immune system to produce antitumour effects. In particular, immune checkpoint therapy has recently provided novel strategies for cancer treatments. Nevertheless, these new therapeutic approaches have introduced immune-related adverse events to clinical practice. In the elderly, checkpoint inhibitors might have limited efficacy because of immunosenescence. Limited literature data demonstrate a higher incidence of irAEs and an earlier discontinuation of immunotherapy in these patients. We report the case of an 89-year-old male patient with metastatic urothelial carcinoma, who presented with Grade 4 immune-related hepatitis after receiving pembrolizumab treatment.