Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in sarcoidosis successfully treated with pembrolizumab

• Published in: Journal of neurovirology Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 441 - 444
• Main Authors: Öztürk, Gizem, Tekeli, Elif İrem, Erdoğan, Seyda, Peker, Elif, Yücesan, Canan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-08-2024
• Subjects: Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized - therapeutic use; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Case Report; Female; Humans; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Immunology; Infectious Diseases; JC Virus - drug effects; Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal - diagnostic imaging; Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal - drug therapy; Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal - immunology; Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal - virology; Male; Middle Aged; Neurology; Neurosciences; Sarcoidosis - diagnostic imaging; Sarcoidosis - drug therapy; Treatment Outcome; Virology; Pembrolizumab; PML with sarcoidosis; JC Virus; Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
• ISSN: 1355-0284; 1538-2443; 1538-2443
• DOI: 10.1007/s13365-024-01227-6

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a severe, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system caused by
JC virus
infection. The disease can be seen in sarcoidosis patients without additional risk factors. Here, we present an individual with PML secondary to sarcoidosis treated with 8 doses of pembrolizumab, a Programmed Cell-Death-1 (PD-1) Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor who showed significant improvement. This report illustrates the objective clinical and radiological improvement in a patient with PML due to sarcoidosis, and suggests further study of immune checkpoint inhibitors as a potential treatment for sarcoidosis patients with PML.