Acute Flare of Bullous Pemphigus With Pembrolizumab Used for Treatment of Metastatic Urothelial Cancer. Issue 1 (January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Garje, Rohan; Chau, Justin J.; Chung, Jina; Wanat, Karolyn; Zakharia, Yousef
• Is Part Of: Journal of immunotherapy. Volume 41:Issue 1(2018:Jan.)
• Publication Date: 2018-01
• Subjects: immunotherapy -- pembrolizumab -- bullous pemphigus -- corticosteroids; Immunotherapy -- Periodicals; Immunotherapy -- Periodicals; Neoplasms -- therapy -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; Electronic journals; 615.37
• DOI: 10.1097/CJI.0000000000000191
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1524-9557

Abstract

Abstract : In the past decade, the resurgence of immunotherapy has changed the landscape of cancer therapy. Checkpoint inhibitors targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4, programmed death-1 on lymphocytes, and programmed death ligand-1 on tumors cells are currently utilized in the management of several cancers. These agents are double-edged sword with the positive effect being robust antitumor response but on the other side they can throttle up the normal immunologic homeostasis in a negative way, leading to adverse autoimmune toxicities. These adverse toxicities are frequent if patients have active autoimmune disorders. Here, we report a rare case of quiescent bullous pemphigoid which flared after initiation of pembrolizumab, a programmed death ligand-1 inhibitor.