Development of asthma during nivolumab therapy in a patient with advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Taisuke Isono Naohiko Ogawa Mayuko Tani Masaru Nishitsuji Koichi Nishi
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ishikawa Prefectural Central Hospital
Although nivolumab is applied as standard second-line chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer, it induces many immune-related adverse events. A 41-year-old man underwent palliative radiation therapy and chemotherapy for a cStage ⅣA (cT4N0M1b, pancreas) squamous cell lung cancer. He was treated with nivolumab as fourth-line therapy and had a partial response after three cycles of nivolumab. After 32 cycles of nivolumab, he had cough and dyspnea at night or in the early morning. Based on elevated fractional exhaled nitric oxide levels and the clinical course, he was diagnosed with asthma. Fluticasone furoate / vilanterol trifenatate and montelukast were administered, and his respiratory symptoms improved. Remaining alert for asthma may be required during immune checkpoint inhibitor anticancer therapy.
Nivolumab Asthma Lung cancer Immune checkpoint inhibitor
Received 31 Jan 2019 / Accepted 11 Mar 2019
AJRS, 8(4): 278-282, 2019