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Pembrolizumab related perforated appendicitis.
Kiraci, Murat; Akturk Esen, Selin; Turkay, Duriye Ozer; Kos, Fahriye Tugba.
Affiliation
  • Kiraci M; Department of Medical Oncology, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
  • Akturk Esen S; Department of Medical Oncology, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
  • Turkay DO; Department of Pathology, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
  • Kos FT; Department of Medical Oncology, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
J Oncol Pharm Pract ; : 10781552241271026, 2024 Aug 02.
Article in En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39095043
ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION:

Pembrolizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody IgG4 programmed cell death protein 1 antagonist, and its use in oncology has been increasing in recent years, providing durable and favorable responses and tolerable toxicity profiles in various types of cancer. We describe a case of pembrolizumab related perforated appendicitis in a patient with stage 3C malignant melanoma (MM). CASE REPORT A 70-year-old male patient who had no known disease was diagnosed with MM as a result of the excision of the mass on his right shoulder. The disease stage was stage 3C (pT4aN1bM0). Subsequently, adjuvant pembrolizumab treatment was started. A few days after the fourth maintenance course, he presented to the emergency department complaining of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Emergency abdominal tomography showed a significant increase in the diameter of the appendix vermiformis, peritoneal thickening and appendiceal wall defects that could be significant in terms of perforation. MANAGEMENT AND

OUTCOME:

The mentioned finding and given the clinical presentation, was attributed to a perporating of the appendix, so the patient was hospitalized in the Department of Surgery and the patient underwent emergency appendectomy. Histological findings were consistent with appendicitis. After a day in the hospital, the abdominal pain subsided, C-reactive protein tended to decrease and the patient was discharged.

DISCUSSION:

In patients who develop acute abdominal pain with or without diarrhea during immunotherapy, urgent imaging, endoscopic and clinical evaluation should be performed, and bowel perforation, although rare, should be considered as a potential complication of any immunotherapy.
Key words

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Language: En Journal: J Oncol Pharm Pract Journal subject: FARMACIA Year: 2024 Document type: Article Affiliation country: Turkey Country of publication: United kingdom

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Language: En Journal: J Oncol Pharm Pract Journal subject: FARMACIA Year: 2024 Document type: Article Affiliation country: Turkey Country of publication: United kingdom