Fatal Cholestatic Liver Injury during Treatment with PD1 Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor for Malignant Melanoma: A Case Report

Abstract

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors has dramatically improved the chance of surviving malignant melanomas; however, the effect comes at the cost of toxicities that are difficult to predict. Immune-mediated hepatitis is the most common form of liver toxicity, but fatal outcome is uncommon. We report the case of a 70-year-old female with metastatic malignant melanoma who developed severe liver toxicity characterized by bile duct injury and cholestasis. The condition progressed despite potent immunosuppressive treatment, plasmapheresis, and intensive supportive care; and the patient died while still having tumor response.

Keywords

• immune checkpoint inhibitors
• vanishing bile duct syndrome
• malignant melanoma