Pembrolizumab-induced asthma exacerbation with hypereosinophilia and elevated interleukin-5 in endometrial cancer: A case report

• Published in: Respiratory medicine case reports Vol. 49; p. 102035
• Main Authors: Harada, Tomoya, Uetani, Naoki, Inui, Genki, Ishikawa, Hiroki, Funaki, Yoshihiro, Takata, Miki, Okazaki, Ryota, Yamaguchi, Kosuke, Morita, Masato, Kitatani, Shin, Yamasaki, Akira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2024; Elsevier
• Subjects: Asthma; Case Report; Eosinophil; Immune checkpoint inhibitor; Immune-related adverse events; Pembrolizumab; Pembrolizumab; Immune-related adverse events; Immune checkpoint inhibitor; Eosinophil; Asthma
• ISSN: 2213-0071; 2213-0071
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2024.102035

Pembrolizumab is an anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) antibody used to treat various cancer types. Treatments with such immune checkpoint inhibitors cause immune-related adverse events. However, airway inflammation caused by immune-related adverse events has rarely been reported. A 54-year-old woman with endometrial cancer experienced asthma exacerbation, and increased blood eosinophil counts 3 months after pembrolizumab administration. Although asthma exacerbation improved, the resumption of pembrolizumab caused the recurrence of dry cough and hypereosinophilia. The discontinuation of pembrolizumab improved her symptoms. Serum interleukin-5 levels increased during pembrolizumab treatment but decreased upon discontinuation. The blockade of PD-1 and its ligand may exacerbate asthma through eosinophilic inflammation.