Inflammatory Mesenteric Disease and Sarcoidosis-like Reaction in a Patient with Lung Adenocarcinoma Who Received Pembrolizumab: Paraneoplastic Syndrome, Secondary to Checkpoint Inhibitor or Chance Finding?

<i>Summary</i>: Anti PD1/PD-L1 agents, including pembrolizumab, have revolutionized the oncological treatment of different types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer. The most frequent complications associated with this type of treatment are mild and are located at the thyroid...

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Main Authors: Luis Posado-Domínguez, María Escribano-Iglesias, Lorena Bellido-Hernández, Johana Gabriela León-Gil, María Asunción Gómez-Muñoz, Felipe Gómez-Caminero López, María Martín-Galache, Sandra M. Inés-Revuelta, Emilio Fonseca-Sánchez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Current Oncology
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/31/11/540
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author Luis Posado-Domínguez
María Escribano-Iglesias
Lorena Bellido-Hernández
Johana Gabriela León-Gil
María Asunción Gómez-Muñoz
Felipe Gómez-Caminero López
María Martín-Galache
Sandra M. Inés-Revuelta
Emilio Fonseca-Sánchez
author_facet Luis Posado-Domínguez
María Escribano-Iglesias
Lorena Bellido-Hernández
Johana Gabriela León-Gil
María Asunción Gómez-Muñoz
Felipe Gómez-Caminero López
María Martín-Galache
Sandra M. Inés-Revuelta
Emilio Fonseca-Sánchez
author_sort Luis Posado-Domínguez
collection DOAJ
description <i>Summary</i>: Anti PD1/PD-L1 agents, including pembrolizumab, have revolutionized the oncological treatment of different types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer. The most frequent complications associated with this type of treatment are mild and are located at the thyroid, pulmonary or hepatic level. Sarcoid like reaction and mesenteric panniculitis secondary to pembrolizumab treatment are two very rare adverse effects. We present the case of a patient with these complications. <i>Purpose</i>: the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer has undergone a major change in the last 10 years, largely due to the advent of immunotherapy. Anti PD1 agents such as pembrolizumab have increased the median survival of these patients from 13 to 26 months. Most frequent immunorelated side effects are hypothyroidism, pneumonitis or elevated liver enzymes. However, there are other adverse effects, including sarcoid-like reaction and mesenteric panniculitis, which should be known by the professionals involved in the diagnosis and treatment of this type of patient. We present the case of a 62-year-old man with a history of unresectable and non-irradiable stage IIIB epidermoid lung carcinoma with a PD-L1 expression of 30% in whom pembrolizumab was discontinued after 4 cycles due to immunorelated arthritis. One year later he consulted for severe abdominal pain. A PET-CT scan was performed, showing hilar lymphadenopathy and inflammation of abdominal mesenteric fat. A biopsy of lesions in both areas showed non-necrotizing granulomatous lymphadenitis in hilar adenopathy and patchy fibrosis of mesenteric fat. The picture was classified as sarcoidosis-like reaction and mesenteric panniculitis secondary to pembrolizumab. Anti-PD1 agents cause hyperactivation of the immune system through T-cell proliferation. Sarcoid-like reaction is a very rare complication that can mask progressive tumor disease. Awareness of immunorelated complications by oncologists, internists, and radiologists is important for an appropriate diagnostic approach and targeted test ordering.
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spelling doaj-art-7277a82e1c3d460f80f4c8f6dab4c2042025-08-20T01:53:44ZengMDPI AGCurrent Oncology1198-00521718-77292024-11-0131117319732910.3390/curroncol31110540Inflammatory Mesenteric Disease and Sarcoidosis-like Reaction in a Patient with Lung Adenocarcinoma Who Received Pembrolizumab: Paraneoplastic Syndrome, Secondary to Checkpoint Inhibitor or Chance Finding?Luis Posado-Domínguez0María Escribano-Iglesias1Lorena Bellido-Hernández2Johana Gabriela León-Gil3María Asunción Gómez-Muñoz4Felipe Gómez-Caminero López5María Martín-Galache6Sandra M. Inés-Revuelta7Emilio Fonseca-Sánchez8Medical Oncology Department, University Hospital of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainRadiodiagnosis Service, University Hospital of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainMedical Oncology Department, University Hospital of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainPathology Department, University Hospital of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainInstitute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, SpainInstitute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, SpainInstitute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, SpainInternal Medicine Service, University Hospital of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, SpainMedical Oncology Department, University Hospital of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain<i>Summary</i>: Anti PD1/PD-L1 agents, including pembrolizumab, have revolutionized the oncological treatment of different types of cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer. The most frequent complications associated with this type of treatment are mild and are located at the thyroid, pulmonary or hepatic level. Sarcoid like reaction and mesenteric panniculitis secondary to pembrolizumab treatment are two very rare adverse effects. We present the case of a patient with these complications. <i>Purpose</i>: the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer has undergone a major change in the last 10 years, largely due to the advent of immunotherapy. Anti PD1 agents such as pembrolizumab have increased the median survival of these patients from 13 to 26 months. Most frequent immunorelated side effects are hypothyroidism, pneumonitis or elevated liver enzymes. However, there are other adverse effects, including sarcoid-like reaction and mesenteric panniculitis, which should be known by the professionals involved in the diagnosis and treatment of this type of patient. We present the case of a 62-year-old man with a history of unresectable and non-irradiable stage IIIB epidermoid lung carcinoma with a PD-L1 expression of 30% in whom pembrolizumab was discontinued after 4 cycles due to immunorelated arthritis. One year later he consulted for severe abdominal pain. A PET-CT scan was performed, showing hilar lymphadenopathy and inflammation of abdominal mesenteric fat. A biopsy of lesions in both areas showed non-necrotizing granulomatous lymphadenitis in hilar adenopathy and patchy fibrosis of mesenteric fat. The picture was classified as sarcoidosis-like reaction and mesenteric panniculitis secondary to pembrolizumab. Anti-PD1 agents cause hyperactivation of the immune system through T-cell proliferation. Sarcoid-like reaction is a very rare complication that can mask progressive tumor disease. Awareness of immunorelated complications by oncologists, internists, and radiologists is important for an appropriate diagnostic approach and targeted test ordering.https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/31/11/540sarcoid like reactionlung cancerpanniculitisimmunotherapytoxicity
spellingShingle Luis Posado-Domínguez
María Escribano-Iglesias
Lorena Bellido-Hernández
Johana Gabriela León-Gil
María Asunción Gómez-Muñoz
Felipe Gómez-Caminero López
María Martín-Galache
Sandra M. Inés-Revuelta
Emilio Fonseca-Sánchez
Inflammatory Mesenteric Disease and Sarcoidosis-like Reaction in a Patient with Lung Adenocarcinoma Who Received Pembrolizumab: Paraneoplastic Syndrome, Secondary to Checkpoint Inhibitor or Chance Finding?
Current Oncology
sarcoid like reaction
lung cancer
panniculitis
immunotherapy
toxicity
title Inflammatory Mesenteric Disease and Sarcoidosis-like Reaction in a Patient with Lung Adenocarcinoma Who Received Pembrolizumab: Paraneoplastic Syndrome, Secondary to Checkpoint Inhibitor or Chance Finding?
title_full Inflammatory Mesenteric Disease and Sarcoidosis-like Reaction in a Patient with Lung Adenocarcinoma Who Received Pembrolizumab: Paraneoplastic Syndrome, Secondary to Checkpoint Inhibitor or Chance Finding?
title_fullStr Inflammatory Mesenteric Disease and Sarcoidosis-like Reaction in a Patient with Lung Adenocarcinoma Who Received Pembrolizumab: Paraneoplastic Syndrome, Secondary to Checkpoint Inhibitor or Chance Finding?
title_full_unstemmed Inflammatory Mesenteric Disease and Sarcoidosis-like Reaction in a Patient with Lung Adenocarcinoma Who Received Pembrolizumab: Paraneoplastic Syndrome, Secondary to Checkpoint Inhibitor or Chance Finding?
title_short Inflammatory Mesenteric Disease and Sarcoidosis-like Reaction in a Patient with Lung Adenocarcinoma Who Received Pembrolizumab: Paraneoplastic Syndrome, Secondary to Checkpoint Inhibitor or Chance Finding?
title_sort inflammatory mesenteric disease and sarcoidosis like reaction in a patient with lung adenocarcinoma who received pembrolizumab paraneoplastic syndrome secondary to checkpoint inhibitor or chance finding
topic sarcoid like reaction
lung cancer
panniculitis
immunotherapy
toxicity
url https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/31/11/540
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