Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Hemorrhagic Gastritis

Karthik Mathialagan1, Cheng-Hung Tai2, Samdish Sethi1

  • 1Department of Medicine, Yale-New Haven Health-Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT.

ACG Case Reports Journal
|August 16, 2023
PubMed

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been increasingly used in the treatment of several malignancies and may target cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4, programmed cell death-1, and programmed cell death ligand 1, which work on maintaining peripheral immune tolerance. ICIs inhibit these ligands causing an immune-enhancing effect, leading to a wide spectrum of complications from mild mucositis to life-threatening pneumonitis or hepatitis. These complications are collectively called immune-related adverse events. Their prevalence has increased with a rise in ICI use, with rare manifestations being reported in popular literature. We present a case of hemorrhagic gastritis due to the anti-programmed cell death-1 antibody, pembrolizumab.

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