Pembrolizumab-induced Focal Pancreatitis Diagnosed by Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Fine-needle Aspiration

Intern Med. 2022 Aug 15;61(16):2463-2469. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.8507-21. Epub 2022 Jan 13.

Abstract

A 69-year-old man with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer was treated with pembrolizumab for 4 months. Three months after pembrolizumab was discontinued, computed tomography showed enlargement of the pancreatic head, with hypoattenuating areas in the pancreatic head to body. On endoscopic ultrasonography, the entire pancreatic parenchyma was hypoechoic. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed narrowing of the main pancreatic duct at the pancreatic head. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration showed inflammatory cell infiltration in the stroma but no neoplastic lesions. CD8-positve T cells were dominant over CD4-positive T cells in the infiltrating lymphocytes, and the patient was diagnosed with pembrolizumab-induced pancreatitis.

Keywords: EUS-FNA; immune-related adverse event; pancreatitis; pembrolizumab.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung*
  • Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration / adverse effects
  • Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration / methods
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Pancreatitis* / chemically induced
  • Pancreatitis* / diagnostic imaging

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • pembrolizumab