A case of toxic epidermal necrolysis associated with lenvatinib and sintilimab therapy for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract

Lenvatinib is used as the first-line treatment for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Sintilimab is a programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) antibody used in the treatment of solid tumors. We present the case of a 78-year-old man with fatal toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) associated with the use of sintilimab followed by lenvatinib. This patient, who presented with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, first received immunotherapy with sintilimab according to the standard schedule of 200 mg every 3 weeks. The patient began to receive 8 mg of lenvatinib daily 1 day after sintilimab therapy was initiated. Multiple erythematous papules and blisters appeared on the patient’s face and trunk and gradually spread to his arms and legs, and the lesions extensively involved >30% of the body surface area 18 days after lenvatinib initiation. The patient stopped taking lenvatinib on the next day. The skin rash quickly progressed over 1 week to a tender, exfoliative dermatosis. Despite treatment with high-dose steroids and intravenous immunoglobulin, the patient died. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of TEN associated with the use of sintilimab followed by lenvatinib. Early diagnosis and treatment of possibly fatal TEN reaction secondary to anti-PD-1 antibody therapy followed by lenvatinib is necessary.