Anti-Cancer Drug-Induced Lyell’s Syndrome: A Series of Two Patients

Abstract

Lyell’s syndrome or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) is a rare and life-threatening dermatological disease. Most commonly, this syndrome is drug-induced, and is a result of an immune-allergic reaction to medications. Anti-cancer drugs were not the most frequent groups of therapeutic agents related to Lyell’s syndrome, but the emergence of new therapeutic classes, particularly targeted therapy and immunotherapy, is changing current data. We present two cases of Lyell’s syndrome induced by anticancer drugs. (1) TEN in a man treated for metastatic urothelial carcinoma with Enfortumab Vedotin. (2) TEN in a man with metastatic melanoma treated with Nivolumab and Ipilimumab. Despite quick medical treatment and transfer to a severe burn unit, both patients died of TEN.

Keywords

• toxic epidermal necrolysis
• Lyell’s syndrome
• enfortumab vedotin
• nivolumab
• pharmacovigilance