A Case of Pulmonary Fibrosis and COVID-19-Related Pneumonia in a Pembrolizumab-Treated Patient
Pembrolizumab is used as a first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Pneumonitis and interstitial lung disease are among the most common immune-related adverse events. The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections on patients with cancer treated with...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7449/17/3/53 |
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| author | Alberto Zolezzi Gina Gualano Annelisa Mastrobattista Pietro Vittozzi Virginia Di Bari Carlotta Cerva Silvia Mosti Antonio Lugini Fabrizio Albarello Federica Di Stefano Maria Beatrice Valli Fabrizio Palmieri |
| author_facet | Alberto Zolezzi Gina Gualano Annelisa Mastrobattista Pietro Vittozzi Virginia Di Bari Carlotta Cerva Silvia Mosti Antonio Lugini Fabrizio Albarello Federica Di Stefano Maria Beatrice Valli Fabrizio Palmieri |
| author_sort | Alberto Zolezzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pembrolizumab is used as a first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Pneumonitis and interstitial lung disease are among the most common immune-related adverse events. The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections on patients with cancer treated with chemotherapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is not fully known. Blocking immune checkpoints may conversely augment dysfunctional T-cell responses in severe patients and, in turn, mediate immunopathology. Here, we present a case of SARS-CoV-2 infection complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and a fibrotic-like pattern in a patient treated with pembrolizumab for lung cancer. The patient showed a dramatic clinical and radiological response after steroid therapy. Further research is needed to better understand the long-term implications of pembrolizumab therapy in patients recovering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to develop evidence-based guidelines for managing these complex cases. Patients undergoing oncologic immunotherapy might benefit from early high-dose steroid treatment in cases of viral infections, such as SARS-CoV-2. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8e7dc3cacd7c48409baf6c70e8ccfbce |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2036-7449 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Infectious Disease Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-8e7dc3cacd7c48409baf6c70e8ccfbce2025-06-25T13:56:30ZengMDPI AGInfectious Disease Reports2036-74492025-05-011735310.3390/idr17030053A Case of Pulmonary Fibrosis and COVID-19-Related Pneumonia in a Pembrolizumab-Treated PatientAlberto Zolezzi0Gina Gualano1Annelisa Mastrobattista2Pietro Vittozzi3Virginia Di Bari4Carlotta Cerva5Silvia Mosti6Antonio Lugini7Fabrizio Albarello8Federica Di Stefano9Maria Beatrice Valli10Fabrizio Palmieri11Respiratory Infectious Diseases Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, ItalyRespiratory Infectious Diseases Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, ItalyRespiratory Infectious Diseases Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, ItalyRespiratory Infectious Diseases Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, ItalyRespiratory Infectious Diseases Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, ItalyRespiratory Infectious Diseases Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, ItalyRespiratory Infectious Diseases Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, ItalyMedical Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera San Giovanni Addolorata, 00184 Rome, ItalyDiagnostic Imaging Unit for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, ItalyDiagnostic Imaging Unit for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, ItalyLaboratory of Virology and Biosafety Laboratories, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, ItalyRespiratory Infectious Diseases Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, ItalyPembrolizumab is used as a first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Pneumonitis and interstitial lung disease are among the most common immune-related adverse events. The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections on patients with cancer treated with chemotherapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is not fully known. Blocking immune checkpoints may conversely augment dysfunctional T-cell responses in severe patients and, in turn, mediate immunopathology. Here, we present a case of SARS-CoV-2 infection complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and a fibrotic-like pattern in a patient treated with pembrolizumab for lung cancer. The patient showed a dramatic clinical and radiological response after steroid therapy. Further research is needed to better understand the long-term implications of pembrolizumab therapy in patients recovering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to develop evidence-based guidelines for managing these complex cases. Patients undergoing oncologic immunotherapy might benefit from early high-dose steroid treatment in cases of viral infections, such as SARS-CoV-2.https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7449/17/3/53pembrolizumabsevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2fibrotic-like pattern |
| spellingShingle | Alberto Zolezzi Gina Gualano Annelisa Mastrobattista Pietro Vittozzi Virginia Di Bari Carlotta Cerva Silvia Mosti Antonio Lugini Fabrizio Albarello Federica Di Stefano Maria Beatrice Valli Fabrizio Palmieri A Case of Pulmonary Fibrosis and COVID-19-Related Pneumonia in a Pembrolizumab-Treated Patient Infectious Disease Reports pembrolizumab severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 fibrotic-like pattern |
| title | A Case of Pulmonary Fibrosis and COVID-19-Related Pneumonia in a Pembrolizumab-Treated Patient |
| title_full | A Case of Pulmonary Fibrosis and COVID-19-Related Pneumonia in a Pembrolizumab-Treated Patient |
| title_fullStr | A Case of Pulmonary Fibrosis and COVID-19-Related Pneumonia in a Pembrolizumab-Treated Patient |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Case of Pulmonary Fibrosis and COVID-19-Related Pneumonia in a Pembrolizumab-Treated Patient |
| title_short | A Case of Pulmonary Fibrosis and COVID-19-Related Pneumonia in a Pembrolizumab-Treated Patient |
| title_sort | case of pulmonary fibrosis and covid 19 related pneumonia in a pembrolizumab treated patient |
| topic | pembrolizumab severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 fibrotic-like pattern |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7449/17/3/53 |
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