[Patient with Breast Cancer That Developed Severe Drug-Induced Pneumonia after Administration of Trastuzumab Emtansine following Off-Label Use of Nivolumab]

Gan To Kagaku Ryoho. 2022 Jan;49(1):71-73.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

Nivolumab is known to cause immune-related interstitial lung diseases. A 44-year-old woman developed multiple lung metastases 5 years after breast cancer resection. She was treated with docetaxel/trastuzumab/pertuzumab and obtained a complete response. This was a case of off-label use of nivolumab as an immune checkpoint inhibitor evaluated in a private clinic. After standard therapy with T-DM1, she developed fever and hypoxemia. Drug-induced pneumonia was suspected based on a ground-glass shadow finding in chest computed tomography. Drug-induced pneumonia may develop following molecular-targeted therapy delivered after nivolumab administration, and fatal cases have been reported. The antitumor effects of nivolumab for breast cancer have not been proven, and its off-label use may have possible adverse effects on future treatments.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Ado-Trastuzumab Emtansine
  • Adult
  • Breast Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Nivolumab / adverse effects
  • Off-Label Use
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations*
  • Pneumonia* / chemically induced
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Trastuzumab / adverse effects

Substances

  • Pharmaceutical Preparations
  • Nivolumab
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Trastuzumab
  • Ado-Trastuzumab Emtansine