Pustular Lichenoid Eruptions Induced by Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Two Case Reports and a Review of the Literature

Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become the standard treatment for many types of cancer. After several years of using these therapies, many adverse events related to ICIs have been observed. Dermatologic toxicities such as nonspecific morbilliform rash, vitiligo, Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis, and more rarely, lichenoid eruptions have been described in the literature. We report 2 cases of pustular lichenoid eruptions, 1 in a patient with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma and 1 in a patient with metastatic melanoma, induced by pembrolizumab and nivolumab, respectively. The 2 patients were treated with topical corticosteroids, and complete healing of lesions was slowly obtained. Due to the severity of the cutaneous eruptions, pembrolizumab and nivolumab were discontinued. We identified 6 cases of pustular lichenoid eruptions induced by ICIs in the published literature and in the French Pharmacovigilance Database and reviewed their main clinical features and courses.