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Pembrolizumab Therapy Triggering an Exacerbation of Preexisting Autoimmune Disease: A Report of 2 Patient Cases
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Pembrolizumab Therapy Triggering an Exacerbation of Preexisting Autoimmune Disease: A Report of 2 Patient Cases

Sneha D Phadke, Ramez Ghabour, Brian L Swick, Andrea Swenson, Mohammed Milhem and Yousef Zakharia
JIM - high impact case reports, Vol.4(4), pp.2324709616674316-2324709616674316
10/2016
DOI: 10.1177/2324709616674316
PMID: 27826593
url
https://doi.org/10.1177/2324709616674316View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Historically, metastatic melanoma was uniformly and rapidly lethal, and treatment options were limited. In recent years, however, checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as an accepted standard treatment for patients with advanced melanoma. In clinical trials, these agents have been largely well tolerated and have the potential to result in durable responses. Importantly though, one must recognize the unique side effect profile of these therapies, which can trigger or exacerbate underlying autoimmune disease. Whether this autoimmune activation is associated with a clinical response to therapy has been debated, and while not definitive, there is evidence in the literature of a possible association. The 2 cases presented describe this autoimmune phenomenon, along with a review of the existing literature on the relationship between response to immunotherapy and autoimmune side effects.
myasthenia gravis melanoma autoimmune psoriasis immunotherapy Case Report

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