An autoimmune haemolytic anaemia secondary to ipilimumab treatment

Abstract

Background: Melanoma is one of the fastest growing neoplasms worldwide. Treatment of metastatic disease has swiftly shifted in the last decade from generally ineffective chemotherapy regimens to highly effective targeted treatments or immunotherapy, with a range of side effects that diff er completely from those of previous treatments for this disease. Case: We present a case of a 71-year-old man with diagnosis metastatic melanoma. This patient was treated with anti-CTLA-4 antibody ipilimumab. Despite minor skin toxicity, the regimen was well tolerated until he developed hemolytic anemia, an autoimmune side effect of ipilimumab. The treatment was withdrawn and steroids were administered until the issue was resolved. Conclusion: Immunotherapy has become the standard of care for many tumors, and its side effects are completely diff erent from those of chemotherapy, meaning that oncologists must be aware of this to avoid a potentially life-threatening situation and arrive at an early dia gnosis and implement prompt treatment.