Medical & Clinical Research

Author(s): Rodriguez-Guerra Miguel*, Qureshi, Zaheer, Vittorio, Timothy, Gupta Sorab

Background: Pembrolizumab is a monoclonal antibody-based chemotherapy infusion, recently approved for unresectable or metastatic solid tumors with certain genetic anomalies.

Discussion: Pembrolizumab is an IV infusion therapy for treating non-surgical or metastatic melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer. Multiple cardiac complications have been related to this drug, the mechanism is not precise, but a possibility is immune events involving the cytotoxic T-cell resulting in fibrosis of the cardiac cells.

Conclusion: New oncologic medications have emerged with a potential reversible or irreversible cytotoxicity, including inflammation, dysfunction, or apoptosis that could represent a life-threatening condition. There is not enough data to establish proper therapy to avoid cardiotoxicity on monoclonal therapies, but an early approach and immunosuppressive therapy are thought to improve the outcome.