Sarcoidosis-like reaction in metastatic triple negative breast cancer treated by anti-PD-L1

Breast J. 2019 Sep;25(5):971-973. doi: 10.1111/tbj.13386. Epub 2019 Jun 4.

Abstract

We report the first case of sarcoidosis-like reaction in a patient treated by anti-PD-L1 for a breast cancer. A 69-year-old woman presented with a histologically confirmed lung metastasis of a triple negative breast cancer. She was treated by nab-paclitaxel plus anti-PD-L1 in first line. After 2 months, a dramatic lung response was noticed but an involvement of mediastinal lymph nodes appeared. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of these lymph nodes revealed multiple epitheloid granulomas without caseating necrosis in favour of a sarcoidosis-like reaction. The patient remained free of symptom and in complete lung response on anti-PD-L1 treatment as a maintenance therapy.

Keywords: anti-PD-L1; immune checkpoint inhibitor; sarcoidosis-like reaction; triple negative breast cancer.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Albumins / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / adverse effects*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • B7-H1 Antigen / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Biopsy, Fine-Needle
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Lymph Nodes / drug effects*
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • Lymphatic Diseases / chemically induced
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • Paclitaxel / administration & dosage
  • Sarcoidosis / chemically induced*
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • 130-nm albumin-bound paclitaxel
  • Albumins
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • B7-H1 Antigen
  • CD274 protein, human
  • atezolizumab
  • Paclitaxel