DOI: 10.12890/2024_004675

Unforeseen complications of pembrolizumab in breast reconstruction post-mastectomy

Authors

  • Murad Aldarayseh Internal Medicine Department, RWJ Barnabas Health/Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Elizabeth, USA
  • Sohail Singh Sodhi Internal Medicine Department, RWJ Barnabas Health/Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Elizabeth, USA
  • Gamal Musleh Internal Medicine Department, RWJ Barnabas Health/Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Elizabeth, USA
  • Dyuti Kumar St George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies
  • Michelle Cholankeril Internal Medicine Department, RWJ Barnabas Health/Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Elizabeth, USA

GAMAL1187SGU@GMAIL.COM

Keywords

Pembrolizumab, breast reconstruction, breast cancer

Abstract

A 53-year-old post-menopausal Indian female presented with invasive ductal carcinoma, treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and pembrolizumab due to a PD-L1 combined positive score of 5. Following a right mastectomy and axillary dissection, she received a breast expander and AlloDerm™ graft. After resuming pembrolizumab and paclitaxel postoperatively, she developed severe breast redness and high-grade fever, necessitating expander removal due to suspected pembrolizumab-induced complications. This case underscores the unique and severe adverse effects of pembrolizumab on breast reconstruction, highlighting the need for careful monitoring and management in patients undergoing similar treatments.

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Published

2024-07-01

How to Cite

1.
Aldarayseh M, Sodhi SS, Musleh G, Kumar D, Cholankeril M. Unforeseen complications of pembrolizumab in breast reconstruction post-mastectomy. EJCRIM [Internet]. 2024 Jul. 1 [cited 2026 Nov. 3];11(7). Available from: https://ejcrim.com/index.php/ejcrim/article/view/4675

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