Disseminated intravascular coagulation in advanced lung adenocarcinoma during first-line pembrolizumab

Abstract

Aim: Every year 1.6 million people worldwide die from lung cancer, making it one of the most frequent and deadly tumors. Pembrolizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody against PD-1 that has antitumor activity in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, with increased activity in tumors that express programmed death ligand 1. Methods & results: We report the first case of pembrolizumab-related disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). After excluding other causes of DIC, a diagnosis of pembrolizumab-related DIC was performed and the patient was treated with corticosteroid therapy until signs resolution. Conclusion: Disorders of coagulation–fibrinolysis system related to immunotherapy are rare, but often clinically serious and life threatening, so it is necessary to pay close attention to the various symptoms and signs during immunotherapy.