Sarcoidosis and Airway Disease After Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy: Case Study and Review of the Literature

Authors

Felipe Soto
Luis F Torre-Sada
Frank E Mott
Sang T Kim
Roza Nurieva
Vickie R Shannon
Saadia A Faiz
Roberto F Casal
Mehmet Altan
Julie Lin
Ajay Sheshadri

Publication Date

5-1-2023

Journal

Immunotherapy Precision Oncology

Abstract

Pulmonary toxicity from immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy is typically a severe and potentially fatal complication, but these observations are driven by the most common toxicity, pneumonitis. Rarer pulmonary immune related adverse events, like airway disease and sarcoidosis, may have a more benign course. In this case report, we present a patient in whom therapy with the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab resulted in severe eosinophilic asthma and sarcoidosis. This is the first case showing that anti-IL-5 inhibition may be safe in patients who develop eosinophilic asthma after ICI therapy. We further show that sarcoidosis does not necessarily require treatment cessation. This case highlights relevant nuances when clinicians face pulmonary toxicities other than pneumonitis.

Keywords

immune checkpoint inhibitor, sarcoidosis, severe asthma, eosinophilia

Comments

This article has been corrected. See J Immunother Precis Oncol. 2023 November; 6(4): 203.

PMID: 37214206