Efficacy of durvalumab plus chemotherapy in small-cell lung cancer with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome

Naoya Ishibashi; Toshiharu Tabata; Ryo Nonomura; Yutaka Oshima; Takanobu Sasaki; Hideki Mitomo; Takafumi Sugawara; Motoyasu Sagawa

doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2023.101974

Efficacy of durvalumab plus chemotherapy in small-cell lung cancer with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome

Respir Med Case Rep. 2023 Dec 23:47:101974. doi: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2023.101974. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Naoya Ishibashi¹, Toshiharu Tabata¹, Ryo Nonomura¹, Yutaka Oshima¹, Takanobu Sasaki¹, Hideki Mitomo¹, Takafumi Sugawara¹, Motoyasu Sagawa¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital, Japan.

Abstract

Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is a rare disease but is often associated with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). We discuss the case of a 65-year-old man diagnosed with SCLC-LEMS and treated with carboplatin, etoposide, and durvalumab. Lower extremity weakness and high anti-P/Q voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) antibody levels were diagnostic and helpful. The patient showed a reduction in neurological symptoms with treatment for SCLC, including an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), without standard treatment for LEMS. This treatment may be a treatment option, although the recurrence of LEMS as an immune-related adverse events (irAEs) should be noted.

Keywords: Durvalumab; Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS); Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Publication types

Case Reports