Case Report: Unexpected non-pathogenic autoantibodies without clinical involvement following PD-L1 blockade

Several immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have improved outcomes in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC), but immune-related adverse events (irAEs) remain a concern. Beyond irAEs, ICIs may induce various immune changes requiring further investigation. A 74-year-old man with ES-SCLC received atezolizumab plus chemotherapy and developed aspiration pneumonia due to dysphagia. Concurrently, elevated anti-glomerular basement membrane, antinuclear, double-stranded DNA, myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic, proteinase 3 antibodies were detected without any clinical involvement. Moderate glucocorticoids were administered, and during a 3-month follow-up, he remained entirely asymptomatic, with persistently high antibody titers. The case report presents specific autoantibodies following PD-L1 blockage and questions their pathogenic potential.