Title:Immunotherapy induced cerebral vasculitis

Author:Rebecca Busch

Abstract:Immunotherapy has emerged as a powerful therapeutic approach in the fight against certain types of cancers. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) such as Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) help the immune system recognize and kill cancer cells but can also result in life threating immune-mediated adverse reactions (irAE). Neurologic complications associated with immunotherapy are now recognized more frequently than ever before. Patient X had recently completed a two-year treatment with Pembrolizumab for advanced metastatic melanoma. Six weeks after completion of treatment the patient was admitted into the ED with severe mental confusion. After a steep decline in condition the patient spent a further two months in hospital, including four weeks in ICU, after suffering auto-immune induced cerebral vasculitis which was presumed to be caused by her previous treatment with Pembrolizumab.
Keywords: Immunotherapy, Pembrolizumab, check- point inhibitor, auto-immune
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